Woman Behind Reject Finance Bill 2025 Website Arrested

Software developer Rose Njeri detained without bail after creating digital platform for public objections to controversial tax bill

NAIROBI, Kenya – A 35-year-old Kenyan software developer who created a website allowing citizens to formally object to the controversial Finance Bill 2025 has been arrested and detained without bail, sparking outrage among legal professionals and the public.

Rose Njeri was apprehended on Friday afternoon at approximately 2 p.m. along Enterprise Road in Nairobi while conducting a technology training session.

According to witnesses and legal representatives, officers from the Cybercrimes and Serious Crimes units forcibly bundled her into a vehicle and drove her away from the scene.

The arrest

Ian Mutiso, an Advocate of the High Court who received notification of the arrest around 9 p.m. Friday, described the circumstances as deeply concerning.

“The officers led her to her house, where they executed a search and confiscated gadgets without providing a search warrant,” Mutiso said.

The arrest followed Njeri’s May 19 announcement on social media about creating a digital tool that would allow Kenyans to easily submit objections to the Finance Bill 2025.

“I wrote a simple program that lets you reject the Finance Bill 2025 with just one click. Click below to send your objection,” she had posted on Twitter.

During her detention, Njeri was reportedly prevented from contacting her family and lawyers.

She managed to communicate with a pharmacist near her residence by “sheer luck,” who then informed her mother about the situation.

LSK intervention

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has intervened in the case, with President Faith Odhiambo confirming that legal representatives visited Pangani Police Station where Njeri is being held.

Despite gaining access to their client, lawyers have been unsuccessful in securing her release on police bail.

“All efforts to secure her release on police bail have so far been frustrated by the officers in charge, who are yet to cede to requests by counsel to release her,” Odhiambo stated in a post on social media platform X. “Our team kept vigil at the police station late into the night.”

According to reports, Njeri was interrogated specifically about the Finance Bill 2025 memoranda submission links and was forced to write a statement while being denied her right to legal counsel – a violation of constitutional protections.

The arrest comes against the backdrop of Kenya’s contentious relationship with finance bills, which have historically triggered widespread public protests.

The Finance Bill 2024 led to massive demonstrations last year, with young Kenyans mobilizing through social media platforms to oppose proposed tax increases.

Those protests, known as the #RejectFinanceBill2024 or Gen Z protests, resulted in the storming of Parliament and ultimately forced President William Ruto to withdraw the bill.

The new Finance Bill 2025 was presented to Parliament on April 30, 2025, by the Cabinet Secretary to the National Treasury, once again raising concerns about increased taxation and cost of living for ordinary Kenyans.

Njeri has been known for her vocal criticism of President Ruto’s administration through her digital platforms.

In October 2024, she revealed creating a Chrome extension that alters the president’s name on web pages to one of his nicknames, describing it as “a form of protest…a reminder that he really isn’t who he sold himself to be.”

Backlash

The arrest has triggered widespread condemnation on social media, with many Kenyans demanding Njeri’s immediate release.

The incident is being viewed as an escalation in the government’s crackdown on digital dissent and criticism of policy proposals.

Lawyers argue that creating a platform for public participation in legislative processes should be protected under democratic principles, not criminalized. The arrest raises serious questions about freedom of expression and digital rights in Kenya.

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As of Saturday evening, Njeri remains in custody at Pangani Police Station.

The LSK has assured the public they will continue efforts to secure her release and provide updates on any developments.

“As things stand, we are still on the matter and hope to have Rose released and back home with her family,” LSK President Odhiambo said.

“We ask all members of the public to remain vigilant but calm, and we will provide timely and detailed updates as soon as we make positive progress towards securing her release.”