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Kenyan High Court Denies Rastafarian Exemption From Marijuana Laws
The Nairobi court ruled that the community failed to prove cannabis use is essential to religious practice. Judge Bahati Mwamuye called for a national debate on drug policy while upholding current prohibitions.
Jul 16, 2:40 AM·1m read5 sources
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The Kenyan High Court in Nairobi ruled on 15 July 2026 that the country's Rastafarian community had not shown marijuana use to be a necessary part of religious practice and therefore refused an exemption from narcotics laws. Judge Bahati Mwamuye presided over the case.
The court found that while witnesses agreed cannabis serves as a sacrament, they could not agree whether its use is essential or merely preferred.
The community's lawyer, Shadrack Wambui, stated that the group plans to appeal the decision. Judge Mwamuye said Kenya should hold a wider national debate on its drug policy. "This is not just a question for the Rastafari community but one that cuts across society," he said.
Possessing and smoking marijuana in Kenya is punishable by a fine of up to $2,000, imprisonment of up to 10 years, or both. Rastafarians have sought court permission to use the substance on religious grounds since 2021. A 2019 Kenyan court ruling recognized Rastafarianism as a religion after finding that expelling a school pupil for wearing dreadlocks violated her religious rights.
The community opened its first temple in the Nairobi area in August 2025. Rastafarianism formed in Jamaica in the 1930s and is based on an interpretation of the Christian Bible.
