Outrage in Kenya over detention of software developer
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Detention of software developer sparks national uproar as Kenyans accuse the government of suppressing digital dissent.
Kenyans have voiced widespread outrage following the detention of a software developer who created an online tool aimed at helping citizens oppose the government’s latest finance bill. The arrest of Rose Njeri, a mother of two, has sparked renewed concerns about freedom of expression, digital rights, and rising authoritarianism in the East African nation.
Njeri was arrested last Friday after police raided her Nairobi home, seizing her phone, laptop, and hard drives. Human rights activists claim the arrest was politically motivated and linked to her digital activism. Her online platform allowed Kenyans to flag controversial tax clauses and directly email their parliamentary representatives to protest against the proposed finance bill, which many fear will further increase the cost of living.
So far, neither the police nor the government has made any official statement about her detention.
Arrest Spurs Public Outrage and Legal Backlash
Faith Odhiambo, president of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), told BBC Newsday that Njeri’s arrest marked a disturbing return to “dictatorship-style governance.” She criticized the government for exploiting the timing of the arrest — right before a weekend and a national holiday — to delay court proceedings.
“This has always been the government’s method of oppressing, intimidating, and suppressing citizens. They know the courts don’t operate on weekends — and now we have a public holiday,” Odhiambo said.
A group of activists gathered outside the police station in Nairobi where Njeri is being held, demanding her immediate release. Odhiambo, who visited Njeri in custody, described her as “crestfallen,” noting that attempts to secure her release on bail had failed.
Digital Advocacy Meets Government Crackdown
According to Boniface Mwangi, a prominent Kenyan activist and one of Njeri’s visitors in detention, the developer expressed distress over her two children and the violation of her home. “Imagine telling your children that you’re in jail for developing a website that helps Kenyans participate in budgeting discussions,” Mwangi posted on social platform X (formerly Twitter).
Njeri’s website had not only explained contentious aspects of the 2025 budget proposal but also allowed users to communicate their opposition directly to parliament. One major concern she raised was a proposed amendment to tax procedures, which would permit Kenya’s revenue authority to access personal data without a court order — a move critics argue undermines privacy and civil liberties.
Economic Concerns and Tax Policy Changes
Central to the outcry are provisions in the finance bill that shift certain essential commodities from being zero-rated to tax-exempt. While both categories are free from value-added tax (VAT), the implications are vastly different. Zero-rated goods allow producers to claim input VAT refunds, helping to keep prices low. Tax-exempt status removes that benefit, meaning suppliers bear the cost or pass it on to consumers.
Economists and consumer advocates argue this change will drive up prices on essential goods such as cooking oil, sanitary pads, and basic food items, exacerbating the cost-of-living crisis already gripping many households.
Finance Minister John Mbadi acknowledged that tax-exempt goods might become “slightly more expensive,” but defended the shift as necessary to close loopholes. He claimed many traders abuse the zero-rating system, often making fictitious refund claims while failing to pass savings on to consumers.
Mbadi is expected to present the full finance and tax plan to parliament next week.
A Nation Remembers Last Year’s Protests
The controversy also rekindles memories of last year’s mass protests sparked by similar tax hikes. Those demonstrations forced President William Ruto to abandon the 2024 finance bill amid widespread violence that left at least 50 dead and dozens abducted in a harsh security crackdown. While Ruto recently apologized to Kenyan youth for past “missteps,” critics say the arrest of Njeri reveals the government has not changed course.
In May, Ruto claimed that all abducted protestors had been returned to their families. Yet Njeri’s detention — for facilitating public engagement with government policy — suggests the struggle between civic tech activism and political suppression is far from over.
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