This archive report was first published on 13 September 2019.
On September 13, 2019, the High Court in Kenya made a landmark ruling in a case involving a public school's refusal to admit a Rastafarian student due to her dreadlocks.
High Court Judge Chacha Mwita ruled that the school's demand was unconstitutional, emphasizing that Rastafarianism is a religion just like any other.
"A child has a constitutional right to basic education. Keeping dreadlocks (rastas) is a way of professing her faith and it's wrong to compel her to shave which is against her religion," said the judge.
The ruling followed a petition filed by the student's father against Olympic High School in Kibra constituency, which had refused to admit his daughter, terming it a discrimination against her and her faith, Rastafarian.
Earlier in January 2019, the student had been enrolled into the school following an earlier order by Justice Mwita pending the determination of the case.
Following the ruling, Kenyans took to social media, with some applauding the judge's decision and others criticizing it, arguing that it would open the way for many other groups to demand recognition.
