Rastafari society files petition seeking to legalise marijuana

The Rastafari Society of Kenya has filed a case in court seeking to lift the law criminalising the use of marijuana.

The society on Monday filed a petition seeking to be allowed to smoke marijuana as a process to connect with their 'maker'.

The society is seeking to suspend implementation of Section 3 of the Narcotics Drugs Act as far as it involves the arrest, prosecution and conviction of the members of its members for their spiritual and private growth and use of cannabis in their private homes or designated places of worship.

They claim the police continue to harass, intimidate, arrest and cause the prosecution, persecution and even imprisonment of their members for privately growing and using cannabis for spiritual purposes and for the sole purpose of connecting with the 'Almighty Creator'.

"The impugned law which was enacted in the year 1994 is hostile and intolerant to persons professing the Rastafari faith yet we are in a new constitutional framework following the promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 that is progressive and accommodative of diversity," they said through Lawyer Shadrack Wambui.

Wambui said for a Rasta to fully manifest in his faith, it requires him or her to use marijuana or cannabis.

Mwendwa Wambua, spokesman and prophet of the society says the Rastafari faith use cannabis Sativa colloquially known as bhang/marijuana/holyherb/kushungpeng/tire/ndom/vela/gode/and/or kindukulu for spiritual, medicinal, culinary and ceremonial purposes a sacrament as the ultimate of manifesting and/or practicing their religion as a Rastafari to meditate when in their private dwellings to connect with their God as evinced through holy verses and/or sacred texts in their Holy Bible “ Holy Piby”, Nebra Negas (Glory of Kings).

He says the use of marijuana is solely used in either “meditation” and “reasoning sessions” which are religious meetings that involve group meditation.

"The marijuana is usually used in a pipe (or “chalice”) or burned as incense that accompanies “Ises” praises to Jah and a short prayer is always recited and/or Chanted before it is used or burned as incense with the citation of prayers," Wambua said.