A Kenyan woman, Rose Njeri Tunguru, has been charged at the Milimani Law Courts for allegedly interfering with a government computer system, in what prosecutors say was a deliberate cyberattack targeting the Finance Committee of Parliament.
According to a charge sheet seen by TechMoran, Tunguru is accused of contravening Section 16 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act No. 5 of 2018. The offence reportedly took place on May 19, 2025, at around 8:01 PM at an undisclosed location within Kenya.
Authorities claim that Tunguru knowingly developed and deployed a program hosted at https://civicemail.netlify.app/, which was allegedly used to send out mass emails to financecommitteeena@parliament.go.ke. The email address belongs to the official communications system of the Parliament’s Finance Committee.
The prosecution alleges that her actions interfered with the normal functioning of the parliamentary systems.
She was arrested on May 20, 2025, and presented in court on June 3, 2025. The matter is being handled by the Special Crimes Unit of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), with key witnesses including a CAK digital analyst, a cyber expert, the arresting officer, and the investigating officer.
Tunguru was not released on bond or bail as of the filing of this report. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) is leading the case, with the matter officially recorded under court file number CR/1131/2025.
The prosecution has not yet provided further details on the motive behind the cyber activity or the scale of its impact on parliamentary operations.
If convicted, Tunguru could face stiff penalties under Kenya’s cybercrime laws, which were enacted to curb rising incidents of digital fraud, hacking, and cyberterrorism.
This case adds to the growing list of cybercrime incidents that underscore the vulnerability of public systems to digital attacks, and the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures across government institutions.
Over the weekend, Kenyans had taken to social media and the streets to express their outrage following the reported detention of the developer.
Her only crime was creating the website helping citizens voice their opposition to the government’s proposed 2025 Finance Bill.
Her digital platform allowed Kenyans to easily access and review the controversial Finance Bill and directly email or petition their Members of Parliament (MPs) to reject provisions feared to escalate the already high cost of living.
The arrest had sparked a national debate over government transparency, civic freedom, and digital rights, with thousands condemning what they perceive as a growing crackdown on dissent and freedom of expression.
Fear Over Rising Costs
The proposed 2025 Finance Bill, currently under public scrutiny, introduces new taxes and revisions that critics argue would disproportionately affect low- and middle-income households. Among the most contentious provisions are increased levies on essential goods and services, including bread, fuel, and mobile money transactions.
Many Kenyans, already burdened by inflation and economic uncertainty, have taken to social platforms using hashtags like #FreeNjeri, #RejectFinanceBill2025, and #JusticeForTechActivists to demand Mungai’s release and protest the bill.
Digital Advocacy Under Threat?
The arrest and now charging of the developer is raising concerns among tech advocates and human rights organizations about the shrinking space for digital activism in Kenya. Critics argue that targeting a civic tech developer for building a transparency tool undermines the role of technology in fostering accountability and participatory governance.
“This is not just about one developer,” said a statement from the Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE). “It’s about the right of every Kenyan to question decisions that affect their livelihoods — and to use technology as a tool for civic engagement.”
Calls for Immediate Release
Civil society groups, opposition leaders, and members of the tech community have called for the immediate release of the detained developer. Several legal experts have questioned the basis of the arrest, arguing that no laws were broken in developing or distributing the digital petition tool.
Lawyers and civil rights organizations are reportedly preparing to challenge the detention in court, citing violations of constitutional freedoms including expression, access to information, and peaceful assembly.
Growing Public Pressure
Her arrest and now charge would likely result into new protests across Nairobi and other major cities as Parliament is expected to debate the bill in the coming weeks. The protests aim to mount pressure on the parliamentarians to reject the bill in totality and not just amend it.
