This archive report was first published on 1 August 2019.
On Thursday, Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko made a surprise statement at a memorial service for the late Ken Okoth, suggesting that bhang should be officially legalized.
Speaking at Moi Girls' High School, Sonko said that bhang could be a potential treatment for cancer, a disease that has claimed the lives of several high-profile Kenyans, including former Cabinet Secretary, Laboso, and Safaricom CEO, Bob Collymore.
'Ken was a close friend of mine... He fell ill with cancer, and I fell ill with cancer. Cancer is a major enemy of the nation of Kenya,' Sonko said, leaving the mourners in applause.
He then went on to tell young leaders like Babu Owino, KJ, and Jaguar to continue fighting for the legalization of marijuana, suggesting that it should be sourced from Jamaica.
'Continue with that bill, and let's see if it can be legalized. And I see the President is going to Jamaica, and if it's passed, we'll ensure that the clean bhang comes from Jamaica, as it will bring cancer treatment,' Sonko said.
Okoth succumbed to late-diagnosed colorectal cancer on Friday last week at the Nairobi Hospital.
