Ruth Njeri was detained for more than 72 hours at Pangani Police Station.
NAIROBI. In a striking turn of events reminiscent of a gripping episode from “Law & Order: Nairobi Cyber Unit,” activist and coder Ruth Njeri has been granted release on a personal bond of Ksh 100,000 after enduring over 72 hours in custody at Pangani Police Station, reportedly accompanied only by tea, tears, and her social media posts.
Njeri’s alleged offense involved creating a controversial website that empowered ordinary Kenyans to voice their opposition to the 2025 Finance Bill via their smartphones, an act now deemed “unauthorized interference with computer systems.” The rapid escalation of her arrest sparked a flurry of activity on social media, drawing attention from politicians, civil society advocates, and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), who converged at Pangani as if attending a major film premiere. LSK President Faith Odhiambo criticized the situation, labeling the detention as “a legal circus wrapped in opacity.”
Ruth Njeri: Tech Troublemaker or Heroine?
The situation escalated on Tuesday morning as Ruth was escorted to court, accompanied by an impressive legal team that could easily be the subject of a Netflix courtroom drama. At the forefront was former Chief Justice David Maraga, who appeared to have come out of retirement for this significant case. Outside the courthouse, supporters rallied with chants of “Free the WiFi Warrior!” while brandishing cardboard keyboards and symbolic firewalls.
Now released on bond and potentially strategizing her next tech-driven initiative, Rose Njeri is set to await her hearing on June 20, unless the government makes changes to its firewall settings beforehand.
