Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, has condemned the government for the arrest of Rose Njeri, a Kenyan software developer and activist.
Njeri’s arrest came just weeks before the first anniversary of the 2024 Gen Z protests, a moment many hoped would mark a shift in how the government engages with young people. Instead, it has sparked tensions once again with the looming Finance Bill 2025
Rose was arrested on Friday May 30, 2025 by detectives of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over allegations that she created an online tool known as Civic Email, designed to facilitate the public in voicing their objections to the Finance Bill 2025.
In a tweet on X, Gachagua stated, “As we approach the one-year anniversary of the Gen Z protests, it is painfully clear that this administration has learned nothing about listening to the people.”
“I call for the immediate release of Rose Njeri and urge all Kenyans to stand together against the silencing of our voices. Our future depends on it,” he added.
He went on to accuse the government of abandoning dialogue and choosing instead to rule through instilling fear.
“Rather than embracing dialogue and reform, the government is escalating its crackdown on dissent, using fear and intimidation to silence those who speak out, especially as the new Finance Bill approaches,” he said.
In the tweet, Gachagua described Njeri as a symbol of youth innovation and courage, someone who represents the potential of a new generation.
“Rose Njeri, a young, brilliant software developer, is the latest victim of this repression,” he stated. “Her only ‘crime’ was building an online tool to help ordinary Kenyans send their objections to the Finance Bill 2025.”
The former DP explained that instead of encouraging her civic contribution, the State responded with punishment.
“Instead of celebrating her innovation and contribution to civic engagement,” Gachagua noted, “the State has chosen to make an example of her.”
To him, this was not an isolated incident, it was part of a broader pattern.
“This is not just an attack on Rose,” he tweeted. “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.”
He also criticized Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen’s recent suggestion to criminalize so-called “fake abductions,” calling it a dangerous move meant to intimidate victims and silence critics.
“The harassment of Rose is, unfortunately, just the beginning,” Gachagua warned. “Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen’s recent call to criminalise so-called ‘fake abductions’ is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to suppress dissent.”
He questioned the legitimacy of the government’s ability to decide what is true.
“Who decides what is ‘fake’?” he questioned. “The same administration where the President and his top officials dismissed reports of abductions as fake news or self-inflicted, only to quietly admit the truth under public pressure?”
To Gachagua, this strategy is a calculated effort to control public outrage by shifting blame and punishing those seeking justice.
“If the State can so easily lie and dismiss abductions as hoaxes and then prosecute those who speak out,” he noted, “what recourse remains for victims or their families?”
He added: “This is a calculated move to manage public outrage and suppress criticism by turning the pursuit of justice into a punishable offence.”
