Members of Kenya’s Rastafarian community gathered in Nairobi’s Kibera neighborhood for a weekly communal meeting known as a “groundation,” where they engaged in worship, music, and the consumption of marijuana as part of their spiritual practice. The gathering followed a court ruling issued on 15 July that rejected a petition seeking to decriminalize the use and cultivation of marijuana for religious purposes.
Rastafari is an Afrocentric religion and social movement that emerged in the 1930s within Jamaican communities and centers on the belief that the former Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie I is a divine figure and messiah. Adherents also hold that Black people have been oppressed by what they term “Babylon,” a metaphorical reference to Western capitalism and imperialism. The faith gained broader global recognition through reggae music and artists such as Bob Marley. Within Rastafari doctrine, marijuana is considered a sacrament that followers believe facilitates spiritual meditation and connection with the divine. In 2019, a Kenyan court recognized Rastafari as a legally protected religion following a case involving school discrimination based on dreadlocks.
Leaders of the Rastafari Society of Kenya indicated they intend to appeal the court’s decision to a higher judicial authority. They contend that the ruling marginalizes their religious community and violates their constitutional rights to religious freedom and equal treatment. The society had filed its original petition in 2021, arguing that marijuana prohibition infringed upon fundamental freedoms. Some adherents expressed concern that their faith remains stigmatized within Kenyan society. The case reflects broader global efforts by Rastafarian communities to secure legal recognition for cannabis use in religious contexts, with jurisdictions such as Antigua and Barbuda having approved such allowances in 2023.
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