Rose Njeri, a 35-year-old Kenyan software developer, was arrested on Friday, May 30, and is currently detained at Pangani Police Station in Nairobi. Her arrest is reportedly linked to her creation of a website designed to allow Kenyans to easily voice their objections to the proposed Finance Bill 2025.

Njeri had announced her initiative on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). In a post that garnered significant attention, she stated, "Hi #KOT #KenyansOnTwitter, I wrote a simple program that lets you reject the Finance Bill 2025 with just one click. Click below to send your objection: https://civicemail.netlify.app #RejectFinanceBill2025."

According to reports, Njeri was apprehended at approximately 2:00 PM on Friday along Enterprise Road in Nairobi, where she was attending a tech training session. Eyewitness accounts suggest she was forcibly taken from the scene by officers identified as being from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), reportedly from the Cybercrimes and Serious Crimes units, and bundled into a DCI Subaru.

Following her apprehension, the officers reportedly took Njeri to her residence. There, they are said to have conducted a search and confiscated her electronic gadgets. It was alleged that this search was carried out without a search warrant being provided.

During the initial period of her detention, Njeri was allegedly denied her right to contact her family and legal representatives. Advocate of the High Court, Ian Mutiso, confirmed that Njeri was interrogated regarding the Finance Bill 2025 Memoranda Submission links and was compelled to write a statement, reportedly without legal counsel present. However, she managed to discreetly communicate with a pharmacist near her residence and later with her mother.

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) swiftly intervened following numerous distress calls from concerned citizens who witnessed the arrest. LSK President Faith Odhiambo announced that a team of advocates was promptly set up to locate Njeri and secure her release. Odhiambo confirmed that LSK representatives, including herself, managed to see Njeri at Pangani Police Station on Saturday, May 31, after what she described as a "long process."

Despite LSK's intervention, efforts to secure Njeri's release on police bail have so far been unsuccessful. Odhiambo stated that officers in charge have resisted requests by counsel to release her. She also mentioned that DCI officers initially went to great lengths to deny Njeri access to legal counsel. LSK advocates maintained a vigil at the police station late into the night, and Odhiambo personally spoke with Njeri.

Njeri is reportedly known for her critical stance on President William Ruto’s administration. Beyond the Finance Bill website, it was noted that in October 2024, she created a Chrome browser extension designed to alter the president's name on web pages to one of his nicknames, an act she described as a "form of protest."

The arrest of Rose Njeri has triggered widespread outrage on social media platforms, with many Kenyans and civil society voices demanding her immediate release. Her detention is being widely condemned as a crackdown on digital dissent and freedom of expression. The LSK continues its efforts to secure her release, urging the public to remain vigilant but calm, and promising timely updates on any progress.