From detention to global recognition: Rose Njeri named in 2025 Time100 Next list
software developer Rose Njeri, 35, was recognised under the advocates category for creating a digital platform that allowed Kenyans to voice their opposition to the Finance Bill.
After a year that saw her detained under Kenya’s cybercrime laws and later cleared by the courts, software developer Rose Njeri has now been listed among the 2025 TIME100 Next emerging leaders.
Njeri, 35, was recognised under the "Advocates" category for creating a digital platform that allowed Kenyans to voice their opposition to the Finance Bill. The tool, launched in May 2024, enabled citizens to directly email government officials about the proposed legislation in what she described as an effort to foster public participation.
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The innovation quickly went viral after she announced it on X, attracting nearly one million views within days. But the attention also drew the scrutiny of authorities.
She was accused of violating Section 16 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, which criminalises unauthorised interference with computer systems, amid claims that the app disrupted parliamentary email systems.
Her arrest sparked widespread condemnation from civil society groups and human rights organisations, including Amnesty International Kenya, which demanded her immediate release.
Njeri was later freed after a Nairobi court dismissed the case, ruling that the particulars presented by the prosecution did not meet the legal threshold required to constitute a valid charge.
The detention put her at the centre of global attention, with observers warning that it reflected growing pressure on civic tech innovators and online activism in Kenya.
TIME Magazine noted that Njeri is “embracing her new role of advocating for change.”
In the profile, she is quoted as saying authorities “want to ignore us like we are not part of the process as citizens,” adding, “We shouldn’t just sit back and watch.”
On Tuesday, she took to X to celebrate her inclusion on the TIME100 Next list, dedicating the recognition to those who had supported her along the way.
“This recognition is not just mine but belongs to everyone who has walked this journey with me, challenged me, and inspired me to keep going,” she wrote.
Now in its fifth year, the TIME100 Next list highlights 100 emerging leaders who are shaping the future across categories such as business, entertainment, sports, politics, health, science, climate, art and storytelling, activism and technology. Past alumni and other influential figures have been invited to pen tributes to the honorees.
TIME says the diversity of fields represented on the list reflects the range of leadership and impact in 2025.
Among those featured alongside Njeri are Nigerian Afrobeats star Rema, British actor Damson Idris, American tennis player Taylor Fritz and Spanish footballer Lamine Yamal.
Her inclusion, analysts say, validates both her technical skills and her emergence as a civic actor whose work has challenged the boundaries of state oversight and citizen participation.
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