Rastafarian fights to make weed legal

A university graduate has filed a constitutional petition in court seeking legalization of bhang cultivation and consumption.

Kevin Muchemi, an agriculture and horticultural sciences major from Moi University, wants the court to legalese bhang and thereafter stop all cases in Kenya related to bhang.

The 27-year-old also wants the court to urge Kenyans to take up cannabis farming, claiming the plant matures fast and has various industrial uses.

Nyeri High Court judge James Wakiaga has already certified the petition as urgent and asked that the Attorney General and the Director of Public Prosecution be served with the court papers.

Justice Wakiaga further suspended a bhang case against Muchemi at a Nyeri chief magistrate’s court until his petition is determined.

State counsel Stephen Cheboi asked the court for a two-week postponement to study the petition and file his responses.

Muchemi’s petition has 86 grounds, all based on various provisions of the constitution.

During the hearing of the case, dreadlocked young men in Rastafarian colors and carrying copies of the constitution and the Bible, jammed the court with some taking notes as Muchemi’s case proceeded.

In the court papers, Muchemi claims that cannabis not only matures fast, but can be used to produce high-quality paper and fibre.

“Cannabis offers the best solution to achieving the minimum of 10 percent tree cover Kenya aspires to, by replacing trees used in the paper industry,” Muchemi’s petition reads.

He claims all bhang-related criminal proceedings in courts should be stopped because they contravene the constitution.

Muchemi is a member of a Nyeri-based Rastafarian group which last year appeared on TV smoking “weed” while reciting biblical verses.

The petition will be heard on September 22.