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Gachagua slams govt for targeting Rose Njeri over Finance Bill website

Gachagua slams govt for targeting Rose Njeri over Finance Bill website
Rigathi Gachagua condoles with Laikipia Senator John Kinyua during the funeral of his father, Mzee William Nderitu Ngatia, in Laikipia West on February 10, 2025. PHOTO/@rigathi/X

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused the government of silencing dissent after the arrest of Rose Njeri, a 35-year-old software developer, on Friday, 30 May 2025.

Njeri was detained for creating a website that allowed Kenyans to reject the Finance Bill 2025 with one click.

Gachagua called the arrest an attack on Kenya’s youth and free speech.

“This is not just an attack on Rose. It is a continuation of the attack on the youth of this country,” he said on X on Monday.

“The government is using fear and intimidation to silence those who speak out.”

The Finance Bill 2025 has sparked outrage over proposed tax increases and privacy issues. It follows last year’s Finance Bill 2024, which triggered deadly protests led by Gen Z activists, leaving at least 65 dead.

Gachagua warned that Njeri’s arrest signals a broader crackdown as the bill’s one-year anniversary nears. The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) is representing Njeri.

LSK president Faith Odhiambo said police blocked Njeri’s access to lawyers.

“We received distress calls about her unlawful arrest,” Odhiambo said. “All efforts to secure her release on police bail have so far been frustrated by the officers in charge.”

Gachagua also criticised Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen’s plan to criminalise “fake abductions.” He called it a tactic to suppress dissent.

“Who decides what is fake?” he asked. “The same administration that dismissed abductions as hoaxes, only to admit the truth under pressure?”

DCP Party leader Rigathi Gachagua addressing residents of the Gatukuyu area of Gatundu North on Saturday, May 31, 2025. PHOTO/@rigathi/X
DCP Party leader Rigathi Gachagua addressing residents of the Gatukuyu area of Gatundu North on Saturday, May 31, 2025. PHOTO/@rigathi/X

Gachagua urged Kenyans to demand Njeri’s release

“I urge all Kenyans to stand together against the silencing of our voices,” he said. “Our future depends on it.”

The government has not responded to the allegations. Njeri’s arrest has raised fears about shrinking democratic space in Kenya.

Ousted as Deputy President in October 2024, Gachagua has positioned himself as a vocal opponent of the government’s policies. His fight against the government has resonated with many Kenyans, particularly the youth, who view him as a defender of free speech and accountability in the face of growing state repression.

Author

Kenneth Mwenda

Kenneth Mwenda is a digital writer with over five years of experience. He graduated in February 2022 with a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from The Co-operative University of Kenya. He has written news and feature stories for platforms such as Construction Review Online, Sports Brief, Briefly News, and Criptonizando. In 2023, he completed a course in Digital Investigation Techniques with AFP. He joined People Daily in May 2025. For inquiries, he can be reached at kenneth.mwenda@mediamax.ke.

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