LSK intervenes after arrest of Rose Njeri, denied bail

35-year-old Rose Njeri who was arrested for creating a link for Kenyans to give views on Finance Bill 2025. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has intervened following the arrest of Rose Njeri, a Kenyan web developer detained on Friday afternoon under unclear circumstances.

According to LSK, Njeri was initially denied access to legal counsel, and repeated efforts to secure her release on police bail have been unsuccessful.

LSK President Faith Odhiambo said they received multiple distress calls from concerned citizens who witnessed the arrest.

Njeri’s detention has sparked outrage online, with many decrying it as a crackdown on digital dissent.

Odhiambo confirmed that lawyers had gained access to Njeri, who is being held at Pangani Police Station. However, police have continued to resist calls for her release.

“All efforts to secure her release on police bail have so far been frustrated by the officers in charge, who are yet to cede to requests by counsel to release her. Our team kept vigil at the police station late into the night, and I spoke with Njeri, who updated me on what transpired.”

“As things stand, we are still on the matter and hope to have Rose released and back home with her family,” the LSK President said in a post on X.

She urged the public to remain calm but vigilant as efforts continue. "We ask all members of the public to remain vigilant but calm, and we will provide timely and detailed updates as soon as we make positive progress towards securing her release," Odhiambo added.

According to posts circulating on social media, Njeri was arrested for allegedly creating a digital tool that enabled Kenyans to formally oppose the Finance Bill 2025. She was reportedly picked up around 2.00 pm by officers from the Cybercrimes and Serious Crimes units.

The developer has been known for her bold posts criticising President William Ruto’s administration.

Recently, she announced the development of a web-based program that allowed Kenyans to reject the Finance Bill “with just one click.”

In another post from October 2024, she revealed creating a Chrome extension that alters the president’s name on web pages to one of his nicknames.

“To me, it’s a form of protest…a reminder that he really isn’t who he sold himself to be,” she wrote.