This archive report was first published on 1 August 2019.
Ken Okoth, the late Kibra Member of Parliament, had been advocating for the legalization of marijuana in Kenya. His efforts have gained fresh momentum following his death on July 26, 2019.
Okoth had written to National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi in September 2018, petitioning for the legalization and regulation of marijuana to ensure its safe usage. In the letter, he stated that the proposed Bill sought to regulate the growth and safe use of marijuana and hemp, including the registration of growers, producers, manufacturers, and users.
Since Okoth's death, a section of politicians from across the country have revived the discussion on the Marijuana Control Bill 2018. Speaking during the late Kibra MP's memorial mass at Moi Girls School in Nairobi, Governor Mike Sonko urged youthful legislators to pick up the mantle from Ken and table the Bill before the National Assembly in his honour.
Sonko, in a jest, also stated that President Uhuru Kenyatta's impending trip to Jamaica could prove useful to the country when the Bill goes through in terms of importation of marijuana. He urged youthful legislators like Babu Owino, KJ, and Jaguar to push through with the Bill and see to it that bhang is legalized.
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna stated that the party would take up the Bill and push it forth. National Assembly Deputy Speaker Moses Cheboi, however, suggested that the Bill should be presented to the House by senior lawmakers who understand it to its entirety and not young legislators.
Mathare MP Anthony Oluoch also supported the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes, reiterating that it can help cure cancer. Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris responded to a Twitter user who said 'This is the time to legalize medical marijuana' with 'I second.'
