Kenyan Rastafarians Face Harsh Prison Terms Over Cannabis Use and Cultivation

Kenya’s Rastafari movement, recognized as a protected religion since 2019, regards cannabis as a sacred sacrament, but the country’s drug laws punish possession with up to five years in jail and €700 fines, while cultivation can bring at least €1,670 fines and up to 20-year sentences. A 2021 court petition by the Rastafari Society of Kenya seeking a religious exemption was dismissed, prompting members such as Gigi Spice, who previously served two years for carrying 125 g, to face arbitrary arrests, bribes and severe prison conditions in overcrowded facilities like the Nairobi Remand and Allocation Maximum Security Prison.

Plain-clothes police and informants target slum areas such as Kibera, and detainees report violence and sexual assault. Critics label the policy hypocritical, noting government involvement in the illicit trade and potential job creation through legal cannabis. The debate continues amid calls for a national discussion on cannabis regulation.