Kenya's High Court has dismissed a petition by the Rastafarian community seeking to legalize the use of cannabis for religious purposes. Justice Bahati Mwamuye ruled that the group failed to prove that drug laws violated their constitutional rights to freedom of religion.

The Rastafari Society of Kenya argued that cannabis is a sacred sacrament in their faith and sought permission for followers to grow, possess, and use it privately during worship without fear of arrest. They emphasized they were not asking for full legalization but a limited religious exemption.

The state opposed the plea, contending that a religious exemption would undermine enforcement of anti-drug laws and create loopholes for illegal cannabis trafficking. Justice Mwamuye also found the evidence on cannabis's centrality to Rastafarianism inconsistent and insufficient.

The judge upheld the constitutionality of Kenya's Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, which criminalizes cannabis possession with penalties of up to five years imprisonment or a fine of up to $800. Cultivation carries up to 20 years in jail.

Justice Mwamuye noted that any exemption would require a sound constitutional and legal foundation, calling for a broader national debate on cannabis. The community's lawyer, Danstan Omari, said they would appeal the ruling, vowing to restore the dignity of Rastafarians in Kenya.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk