NAIROBI, Kenya – Activist Rose Njeri Tunguru is facing charges of unauthorised interference with a computer system after allegedly creating an online tool that disrupted official parliamentary email systems.
According to the charge sheet, Njeri is accused of developing a programme hosted at https://civic-email.vercel.app/ that automatically sent bulk emails to Financecommiteena@parliament.go.ke, the official address of the National Assembly’s Finance Committee.
Investigators say the mass emails interfered with the normal functioning of the committee’s system on the evening of May 19, 2025.
Njeri was arrested without a warrant on May 30 in South B, Nairobi, and processed by cybercrime officers at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
She was later released on bond and is expected to appear in court later this month.
The case is being handled under Section 16 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, 2018, which criminalises unauthorised interference with computer systems.
Key prosecution witnesses include digital forensics experts from the Communications Authority of Kenya, cybercrime analysts, and DCI officers from the Serious Crimes Unit.
Her arrest has drawn swift condemnation from civil society organisations, including the Law Society of Kenya and former Chief Justice David Maraga, who called for her immediate release.
Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah, a vocal critic of the Finance Bill 2025, said the arrest violated Njeri’s constitutional rights.
The alleged disruption came amid growing public opposition to the Finance Bill 2025, which proposes sweeping tax reforms. Among the most controversial proposals are:
- A 20% Significant Economic Presence Tax on foreign digital companies, replacing the current 1.5% Digital Services Tax
- New tax deductibility for contributions to the Social Health Insurance Fund, Affordable Housing Levy, and post-retirement medical funds
- Increased excise duty rates, including:
- 10% on money transfer services
- 15% on alcohol and betting advertisements
- 5% on imported sugar (excluding pharmaceutical use)
- Enhanced data access powers for the Kenya Revenue Authority, including to mobile money records
