Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has condemned the arrest Rose Njeri and called on her immediate release by the police, Njeri is a Kenyan website developer and activist who is accused of creating an anti-finance bill website known as Civic Email aimed at enabling the youth to reject Finance Bill 2025.
Njeri was arrested in South B area last weekend and spent the Madaraka weekend in police custody at Pangani Police station without formal charges. Families and friends efforts to release her on bail over the weekend could not bare any fruits and now the former DP through a statement has called Njeri’s arrest a violation of human rights and act of “repression” by the state.
“Rose Njeri, a young, brilliant software developer, is the latest victim of this repression. Her only crime was building an online tool to help ordinary Kenyans send their objections to the Finance Bill 2025,” part of the statement read.
“This is not just an attack on Rose. It is a continuation of the attack on the youth of this country. It is an attempt to stifle their courage, their innovative spirit, and their belief in the power of their own voices” Gachagua added.
The former DP also took swipe at President Ruto’s recent apology claiming his government continues to suppress freedom of expression while preaching opposite narrative.
“Ironically and curiously, this is the same administration shedding crocodile tears on Gen Zs and their blood and pretending to ask for forgiveness melancholically,” said Rigathi Gachagua.
As these events unfold, Treasury CS John Mbadi is expected on June 12 to table a budget statement of at least ksh 4.23 trillion before the National Assembly for the next financial year.
