Kenyan Activist Arrested Under Controversial Cybercrime Law

Civil tech activist Rose Njeri’s arrest and detention have sparked outrage, reigniting debate over Kenya’s controversial Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act No. 5 of 2018. Njeri, a mother of two, was charged for allegedly creating an email program that sent mass emails to a parliamentary address, an action authorities claim interfered with the Finance Committee’s systems. 35-year-old Njeri is accused of “unauthorised interference” under Section 16 of the Act. The charge sheet, riddled with errors and vague descriptions of the alleged actions, has drawn strong criticism for lacking clarity and potentially fueling abuse of power. ]