Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has called for the immediate release of activist and software developer Rose Njeri, arrested last week for creating an online platform urging Kenyans to oppose the controversial Finance Bill 2025.
Speaking on Monday, Gachagua rallied citizens to resist such efforts to suppress free speech, warning that Kenya’s democratic future is at stake.
“Now, more than ever, Kenyans must stand united against those who seek to silence them,” Gachagua said. “I demand the immediate release of Rose Njeri and call on all Kenyans to defend their right to speak. Our future depends on it.”
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Njeri, a prominent activist, was detained on Friday, May 30, 2025, in Nairobi’s South B estate and taken to Pangani police station. Her arrest followed the launch of Civic Email and a website she developed to allow users to reject the Finance Bill 2025 with a single click.
In a tweet before her detention, Njeri wrote: “I created a simple programme to reject the Finance Bill 2025 with one click. Click below to send your objection.”
The Finance Bill 2025, currently under debate, proposes sweeping tax reforms, including a 20% Significant Economic Presence Tax on foreign digital businesses from 3%, a 10% levy on money transfer services, and increased excise duties on alcohol, betting advertisements, and imported sugar by 5-10%.
It also raises the VAT registration threshold to Ksh8 million from Ksh5 million to ease burdens on small businesses, while granting the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) broader access to financial data, raising privacy concerns amongst the citizens.
Njeri’s arrest has ignited widespread condemnation. On Sunday, activists including Boniface Mwangi and Hanifa Adan, alongside Njeri’s family, protested outside Pangani police station in Juja Road, demanding her release.
Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah, who visited her before the protests, described her detention as “unlawful” and a violation of her constitutional rights.
Former Chief Justice David Maraga and the Law Society of Kenya have also condemned the arrest, calling for her immediate release from police cells.
The government, on its part, has not yet publicly commented on her detention, and police officials have provided no details on potential charges.
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