Written by Kelly Were
NAIROBI, — June 3, 2025
Activist and software developer Rose Njeri Tunguru is set to face formal charges of unauthorized interference with a computer system under Section 16 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, 2018.
The charges stem from accusations that she developed and deployed an online platform designed to disrupt official parliamentary systems.
According to the charge sheet, the alleged incident occurred on May 19, 2025, at approximately 8:01 p.m., at an undisclosed location within Kenya.
Investigators claim that Njeri intentionally created a web application, hosted at https://civic-email.vercel.app/, which was programmed to automatically generate and send mass emails to Financecommiteena@parliament.go.ke—the official email address of the National Assembly’s Finance Committee.
Authorities argue that the email bombardment interfered with the committee’s regular operations.
She was arrested without a warrant on May 30, 2025, in South B, Nairobi, and processed by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations’ (DCI) Cybercrime Unit.
The prosecution’s witness list includes digital forensics experts from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK), cybercrime analysts, and DCI officers from the Serious Crimes Unit.
Njeri has since been released on bond as the case is scheduled for mention later in June 2025. Her legal team is preparing to challenge the validity of the charges, which they argue are vague and unsupported by the law.
Former Chief Justice David Maraga and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) were among the first to condemn her detention, arguing that her actions were in the public interest and constitutionally protected.
Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah, an outspoken defender of civil liberties, visited Njeri ahead of public protests and posted on X (formerly Twitter) that her arrest was unlawful and an affront to her constitutional rights.
The controversy arises amid growing public debate over the 2025 Finance Bill, which introduces several key tax reforms. Notable proposals include tax deductions for contributions to the Social Health Insurance Fund, the affordable housing levy, and post-retirement medical savings—all aimed at lowering taxable income.
The bill also seeks to replace the 1.5% Digital Services Tax with a 20% Significant Economic Presence Tax targeting foreign digital firms. Additionally, it proposes new excise taxes, including a 10% levy on money transfers, 15% on alcohol and betting ads, and 5% on imported sugar, excluding pharmaceutical use.
Further, the Kenya Revenue Authority would gain expanded powers to access mobile money and financial records to enhance tax enforcement—an issue raising fresh privacy concerns among citizens and businesses alike.
