Murang’a County Senator Joe Nyutu has come out to react to the prosecution of software developer Rose Njeri, warning that it could be part of a wider government strategy to justify switching off the internet ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking during a morning show on a local TV station on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, Nyutu linked Njeri’s case to growing state efforts to silence dissenting voices, especially those of young people.

According to the Murang’a senator, the government is using cases like Njeri’s to create legal justifications for potential internet blackouts.

He argued that prosecuting vocal and creative young Kenyans under cybercrime laws is a clear sign that the state is intimidated by the youth’s digital influence and ability to organise.

“This government has a very big problem with the young people. When I look at it, they are just trying to set the ground to see if they can switch off the internet as we approach the next election,” Nyutu said.

Nyutu compared Njeri’s situation to a recent incident involving Butere Girls’ students, saying both cases reveal how threatened the government feels by the political engagement of the younger generation.

He maintained that these attempts to criminalise online activism point to a deliberate effort to shut down digital spaces ahead of the 2027 elections.

He further questioned the use of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, particularly the anti-hacking law in charging Njeri, saying that the law was created to prevent unauthorised access to private data that could cause harm, distress, or unwanted exposure to the data owner. In his view, Rose Njeri’s actions do not meet that threshold.

“This lady is being prosecuted under the hacking laws, laws which were put in place to prevent access to data without the owner’s consent and cause emotional stress to the owner’s data or expose things that one might want to remain private. What we must ask ourselves is, was Njeri creating this space to create any harm or any criminal act?”

Nyutu insisted that Njeri’s intentions were patriotic, noting that her platform, which enabled citizens to send messages to MPs regarding the Finance Bill, was a civic tool, not a criminal weapon.

Rose njeri

Rose Njeri, a 35-year-old Kenyan software developer and digital activist, was arrested on May 30, 2025, in Nairobi for creating an online tool called Civic Email.

The platform enabled Kenyans to submit objections to the proposed Finance Bill 2025, which includes controversial clauses that could increase the cost of living and grant the Kenya Revenue Authority access to personal data without a court order.

Njeri’s arrest sparked widespread outrage, with activists, political leaders, and civil society groups condemning it as an attempt to suppress free speech and civic engagement.