Before 2025, the name Rose Njeri Tunguru was not familiar to most Kenyans, but a simple website propelled her into national and international fame.
The 35-year-old self-taught herself coding skills through platforms like Harvard Online and SheCodes.
In May 2025, amidst national debate over the controversial Finance Bill 2025, she developed "Civic Email," a simple, one-click platform that enabled thousands of Kenyans to email their objections directly to lawmakers.
This act of digital ingenuity turned an abstract legislative process into a tangible, collective movement and sparked a nationwide conversation about the power of technology in advocacy.
Following the growing popularity of the platform, she was arrested on May 30 and detained over the long Madaraka Day weekend, sparking massive uproar and outrage, with Kenyans calling for her unconditional release.
In October, Njeri was named in the TIME100 Next list, joining a host of influential personalities worldwide.
TIME100 Next is an annual list released by TIME aimed at recognising 100 emerging leaders globally in various fields such as activism, science and technology, arts, sports, film, music, and others.
Speaking after the recognition, Njeri maintained that she would keep going in her activism journey and also thanked those who supported her.