Kenyan activist Rose Njeri Tunguru has been formally charged with unauthorized interference with a computer system, contrary to Section 16 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, No. 5 of 2018. The charges stem from allegations that Njeri developed and deployed an online tool to flood parliamentary email systems with messages protesting the controversial Finance Bill 2025.
According to the charge sheet, Njeri allegedly created a programme hosted at https://civic-email.vercel.app that automatically generated mass emails directed to Financecommiteena@parliament.go.ke, the official email of the National Assembly’s Finance Committee. Investigators claim this mass emailing disrupted the normal functioning of the committee’s systems on May 19, 2025, at approximately 8:01 p.m.
She was arrested on May 30 in South B, Nairobi, by cybercrime officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) without a warrant. The prosecution lists key witnesses including digital forensic experts from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK), cybercrime analysts, and DCI’s Serious Crimes Unit officers. Njeri has since been released on bond, with the case set for mention later in June.
Her arrest has triggered widespread criticism from civil society, legal experts, and political leaders. Former Chief Justice David Maraga and the Law Society of Kenya condemned the move, calling it a violation of constitutional rights. Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah, a vocal opponent of the Finance Bill, labelled the arrest as unlawful and an affront to freedom of expression.
The protest against the Finance Bill 2025 comes as the government proposes sweeping tax reforms to bolster revenue. Key proposals include the introduction of a 20% Significant Economic Presence Tax on foreign digital businesses, excise duties on money transfers, alcohol, betting ads, and imported sugar, and expanded powers for the Kenya Revenue Authority to access financial data.
While the government insists the bill is designed to simplify compliance and broaden the tax base, critics argue it infringes on privacy and unfairly burdens ordinary citizens. Njeri’s case now symbolizes the growing tension between state control and digital activism in Kenya’s evolving civic space.
