Members of Kenya’s Rastafari community gathered in Nairobi’s Kibera neighborhood for a weekly spiritual gathering known as a “groundation” following a court ruling that rejected their bid to decriminalize cannabis for religious purposes. The July court decision dismissed a petition filed by the Rastafari Society of Kenya seeking exemption from prosecution for cultivating, possessing, and using marijuana as a sacrament.
Rastafari adherents in Kenya describe themselves as a minority religious group whose cultural practices face social and legal marginalization. Believers hold that marijuana consumption facilitates a meditative state that deepens their spiritual connection with the divine. Followers attending the gathering indicated plans to appeal the court’s decision to a higher court, with some expressing frustration at what they characterize as discriminatory treatment within their own country.
Rastafari, an Afrocentric religion that emerged in Jamaica during the 1930s, centers on beliefs regarding the former Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie I and themes of Black liberation and resistance to Western imperialism. The faith gained international prominence through reggae music and has developed a global following. In 2019, a Kenyan court recognized Rastafari as a legally protected religion following a discrimination case involving school discipline over dreadlocks.
The movement has seen increased activism worldwide around cannabis legalization for religious practitioners. In 2023, Antigua and Barbuda approved provisions allowing Rastafarians to cultivate and use cannabis. Members of the Kenyan Rastafari community emphasized their commitment to spiritual practice and cultural preservation, with some framing their struggle as part of broader efforts to reclaim African heritage and reject colonial influences.
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