Public Outrage as Kenyan Civic Tech Activist Rose Njeri is Charged Under a Contentious Cybercrime Law

Public outrage as Rose Njeri is charged has swept across Kenya following the arrest of the 35-year-old civic tech activist under the country’s contentious Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act No. 5 of 2018. Rose Njeri, a mother of two, was charged for allegedly creating a program that automatically sent mass emails to the parliamentary Finance Committee’s official email, an act authorities claim interfered with the committee’s computer systems.

The program, hosted at a website designed by Njeri, aimed to enable Kenyans to participate in the legislative process by sending their views on the 2025 Finance Bill directly to parliament. The tool flagged controversial clauses in the bill, which many fear will increase the cost of living, and allowed citizens to call for its withdrawal. This initiative was seen by many as promoting public participation, a right enshrined in Kenya’s constitution, making the charges against her appear questionable to observers.

The charge sheet accuses Njeri of “unauthorised interference” under Section 16 of the Cybercrimes Act, alleging that her program disrupted the normal functioning of parliamentary systems. However, the document has been criticized for being vague and poorly drafted, with typographical errors and unclear details, further fueling doubts about the legitimacy of the case.

Public outrage as the Kenyan civic tech activist is charged has been intense, with activists, legal experts, and citizens condemning the arrest as an abuse of power and a crackdown on digital freedoms. The Law Society of Kenya’s president, Faith Odhiambo, described the detention as a “recurrence of dictatorship,” while human rights groups and social media users have called for her immediate release and questioned the validity of the charges.

Critics point out the irony of the government promoting digital skills among youth through programs like the Ajira Digital Program, yet arresting a young developer for using those very skills to encourage civic engagement. Commentators have argued that the Cybercrimes Act is being weaponized to suppress dissent and stifle innovation in Kenya’s growing tech sector, which relies heavily on freedom of expression and creativity.

Rose Njeri was arrested on May 30, 2025, in a dramatic police operation involving multiple vehicles and sirens. She was held in custody for several days at Pangani Police Station, during which time her whereabouts were not publicly known, raising concerns about police abuse and violations of her rights. Her family reported she was manhandled during the arrest and suffers from a medical condition that makes detention particularly unsafe for her.

The case has become a symbol of the tension between digital innovation and government repression in Kenya. It comes at a politically sensitive time as the government prepares to present the controversial Finance Bill 2025 following mass protests last year that forced the withdrawal of a similar bill. Njeri’s tool was intended to empower citizens to engage with lawmakers, aligning with constitutional principles of public participation.

On June 3, 2025, Rose Njeri was released on a Ksh 100,000 bond pending a court ruling scheduled for June 20 on whether she will formally take a plea to the charges. Her defense team, including prominent lawyers and political leaders, has challenged the charges as defective and unconstitutional, arguing that facilitating public participation cannot be a crime.

Public outrage as Rose Njeri is charged continues to grow, with many calling for urgent reform of the Cybercrimes Act to protect digital rights and ensure that civic tech innovation is not criminalized. Her case has become a rallying point for advocates of freedom of expression and digital democracy in Kenya.

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