Members of Rastafarian communities in Kenya are continuing efforts to change laws surrounding cannabis use following a court decision that dismissed their decriminalization petition. The case, which was ruled on 15 July, rejected arguments from the Rastafari Society of Kenya that existing drug laws violated followers’ religious freedoms and rights to equality. Religious leaders and members said they plan to pursue appeals in higher courts and have vowed to continue advocating for legal recognition of their practices.
Rastafari is an Afrocentric religion and social movement that emerged in the 1930s in Jamaica, built on beliefs that the former Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie I is the messiah and God incarnate. Adherents understand Babylon as a metaphor for western capitalism and imperialism. The faith gained international visibility partly through reggae music associated with artists including Bob Marley. According to Rastafarian teachings, cannabis consumption is a sacrament that facilitates meditation and spiritual connection with the divine.
Followers in Kenya describe facing marginalization despite legal recognition of Rastafari as a protected religion achieved through a 2019 court ruling. Community leaders expressed frustration that cultural practices remain stigmatized within the country. Some Rastafarians noted they were born into Christian families and later adopted the faith, taking the title Ras, which means head or chief in Amharic. Members gathered for weekly communal religious observances called groundations, where they sang and participated in spiritual practices.
Globally, Rastafarian communities have pursued varying degrees of legal accommodation. In 2023, Antigua and Barbuda approved allowing Rastafarians to cultivate and consume cannabis. Kenya’s court determination that the society failed to demonstrate unconstitutional violations of their rights has prompted discussion of pursuing further legal challenges through additional court levels.
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