Keypoints:
- Tech developer detained over anti-tax tool
- Rights groups accuse government of repression
- Finance bill sparks privacy and cost concerns
PUBLIC anger is escalating in Kenya following the detention of a software developer who created a website to help citizens challenge the government’s controversial finance bill.
Rose Njeri was taken into custody on Friday after police raided her Nairobi home and seized her laptop, phone, and hard drives, according to activists interviewed by the BBC. Authorities have not commented on the arrest, and attempts to secure her release have failed.
Njeri’s website allowed users to identify troubling clauses in the 2025 finance bill and directly email parliament with their objections. She also flagged proposals that critics say will increase the cost of living, including a change in VAT classification that may lead to price hikes on basic goods.
Rights groups condemn ‘digital repression’
Faith Odhiambo, president of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), described the detention as a ‘recurrence of dictatorship’ in comments to the BBC’s Newsday programme.
She noted that with Monday declared a public holiday, Njeri remained in custody without being brought to court. ‘This has always been a government way of oppressing, intimidating and suppressing citizens,’ said Odhiambo.
Activist Boniface Mwangi, who visited Njeri in custody, said she was distraught and worried about her two children. ‘Imagine telling them their mum is in jail for building a website that supports public participation,’ he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Finance bill raises red flags
The 2025 finance bill, which outlines Kenya’s spending and tax priorities for the next fiscal year, is drawing public scrutiny. Among its most controversial proposals is the reclassification of zero-rated goods to tax-exempt status. While both are exempt from VAT, the latter prevents suppliers from reclaiming input VAT, potentially raising prices for consumers.
Finance Minister John Mbadi, who is expected to present the bill in parliament next week, defended the move. He said it aims to close loopholes, claiming that some traders make fake claims under the current zero-rating system.
Another clause would grant the Kenya Revenue Authority access to citizens’ personal data without a court order — a privacy issue that Njeri’s site also highlighted.
Echoes of last year’s deadly protests
The episode has revived memories of the deadly protests that rocked Kenya in 2024 when a similar finance bill sparked mass demonstrations. At least 50 people were killed and dozens abducted before President William Ruto withdrew the proposals.
Last week, Ruto apologised to Kenya’s youth for any ‘missteps’ since taking office in 2022 and claimed that all those abducted during the unrest had been returned to their families.
But the ongoing detention of Njeri and the renewed push to pass unpopular tax reforms has re-ignited tensions. On Sunday, demonstrators gathered outside the Nairobi police station where she is being held, demanding her release.
As the finance bill heads to parliament, Kenya faces yet another flashpoint in its ongoing battle between fiscal policy and public accountability.
