Activists demand release of web developer Njeri at Pangani Police Station
Among the demonstrators were well-known activists Boniface Mwangi and Hanifa Adan, accompanied by Rose Njeri’s family members.
On Sunday, June 1, a group of activists descended on Pangani police station in Nairobi, calling for the swift release of their colleague, who was detained on Friday afternoon in South B.
Among the demonstrators were well-known activists Boniface Mwangi and Hanifa Adan, accompanied by Rose Njeri’s family members.
They gathered at the station to press for her immediate freedom.
Videos circulating on social media show the protesters singing songs of liberation as they made their demands.
"Who do we demand? We demand Njeri. What do we want? We want Njeri," the protesters sang.
The demonstration followed a tweet by Mwangi earlier that day, where he vowed that they would gather at the police station to demand Rose’s release.
Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah, who visited Rose prior to the protests, stated on his X account that her arrest was both unlawful and a violation of her constitutional rights.
Rose Njeri, a Kenyan software developer and activist, was arrested for creating an online platform called Civic Email that enabled Kenyans to oppose the Finance Bill 2025.
"I wrote a simple program that allows you to reject the Finance Bill 2025 with just one click. Click below to send your objection," she explained in a tweet.
Her arrest and detention have drawn condemnation from various individuals and organizations, including former Chief Justice David Maraga and the Law Society of Kenya, all calling for her immediate release.
The Finance Bill 2025 proposes several significant changes aimed at improving tax collection and simplifying compliance.
Key measures include making contributions to the Social Health Insurance Fund, the Affordable Housing levy, and post-retirement medical funds, tax-deductible, potentially lowering taxable income for contributors.
The bill also seeks to replace the current 1.5% Digital Services Tax with a 20% Significant Economic Presence Tax targeting foreign digital companies, thereby expanding the tax base.
Additionally, excise duties are revised, introducing a 10% levy on money transfer services, 15% on alcohol and betting advertisements, and 5% on imported sugar, with exemptions for pharmaceutical uses.
