Kenya Court rejects Rastafari bid for religious cannabis use

The High Court of Kenya in Nairobi has ruled against granting Rastafarians the right to use cannabis for religious purposes, dismissing a petition that sought exemption from the country’s drug laws.

Since 2021, members of the Rastafari community have argued that cannabis is central to their meditation practices and should be protected under constitutional freedom of religion. They claimed Kenya’s drug laws, inherited from colonial Britain, unfairly restrict their spiritual expression.

Justice Bahati Mwamuye ruled that the petitioners failed to prove cannabis is indispensable to their faith. While witnesses agreed it was used as a sacrament, they could not demonstrate that its use was mandatory rather than optional. As a result, the court denied the exemption.

Lawyer Shadrack Wambui, representing the Rastafari community, announced plans to appeal the ruling, insisting that the case involves fundamental religious freedoms.

The decision underscores Kenya’s strict stance on drug regulation, even as debates on cannabis legalization and religious rights continue across Africa. It also highlights the tension between traditional practices and modern legal frameworks.