Njeri, detained software developer: ‘This is just the beginning’

Rose Njeri, the software developer who created a website allowing Kenyans to share feedback on the Finance Bill 2025, has detailed her four-day detention at Pangani Police Station and vowed to continue her activism despite government attempts to silence her.

On May 30, Njeri was arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations while running errands in South B.

She was taken to DCI headquarters along Kiambu Road for questioning before being moved to Muthaiga Police Station.

Since the station held no female inmates at the time, Njeri was transferred to Pangani Police Station, where she spent four nights locked up on a cold, bare floor without mattress or blanket.

"I can say what I went through is an experience that anyone would not wish to go through, spending four nights in the cells was not easy, just bare cold floor without mattress or blanket," Njeri told The Standard.

She described the emotional challenge of being held in custody for the first time, away from her family and unsure of her fate.

Although her phone was confiscated at the start, she convinced officers to let her call her mother and inform her about the arrest.

Njeri learned that she was accused of violating the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act because of the website she developed.

The platform, named Civic Email, was designed to simplify the complex language of the Finance Bill and invite public comments.

"I never imagined that creating a tool that would help the citizens understand about the budget would land me in custody," she said.

The platform was not an automated spamming tool as claimed by authorities but required users to input their names and manually send feedback to government officials.

Njeri explained that the idea for the platform came from a social media post where someone asked if there was a tool to give public input on the Finance Bill.

"That's when I decided to make it for the sake of Kenyans, and shared it and moved on before the unthinkable happened to me. But honestly, I had a feeling the Bill had some problematic clauses that Kenyans should point out," she said.

The public support she received after her arrest took her by surprise.

Activists, lawyers, and prominent public figures, including former Chief Justice David Maraga and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, showed up in court to back her case.

"I never knew my action would take a life of its own. I was surprised to hear that there was a solidarity protest outside Pangani Police Station, where I got to meet big names and it showed; this made me stronger and it showed the public was concerned," Njeri said.

She also highlighted the physical challenges she faced in detention due to anemia, saying her family made sure she was fed regularly to avoid worsening her condition.

"My family was always around to ensure that I get enough food because failure to eat, my condition worsens," she said.

Despite the hardship, Njeri remains determined to continue creating tools that promote transparency and accountability.

She believes the government fears an informed citizenry and is using intimidation to silence dissent.

"Most Kenyans want to do their jobs and continue with their lives in dignity, it is not a must to beg the politicians for handouts. I want an environment where I can do my work and earn money but that environment is not being enabled by the greedy people in government," she said.

Njeri insists she has no political ambitions but wants to leave a legacy as a defender of human rights.

"I would like to be remembered as a change-maker who played a role in ensuring that in future, the country does not end up getting a regime that disrespects human rights," she said.

She warned against allowing such arrests to continue, saying, "Things are getting worse, let us not allow anyone else to be abducted again because the minute we give in then they will come for me, I used to watch such things on television until it happened to me."

Her experience has strengthened her resolve to fight for civic freedoms and to continue empowering Kenyans through technology.