The grass is always greener on the other side of the border, but the grass in Kenya may be the best and most profitable for some.
At least this is the thought of the RSK (Rastafari Society of Kenya), which in recent days, choosing a symbolic date, the thirtieth anniversary of the death of reggae prophet Bob Marley, presented a petition to the High Court of Nairobi to cancel the law that criminalises the use of marijuana in all its aspects.
The Rastafarians, whose "faith" in Kenya has deep roots and which has seen many followers protagonists in the war for independence of the Mau Mau, through their lawyers ask that they be allowed to grow and smoke it, as it is a sacred herb, a kind of baptismal water or at least a "fumento" to connect their souls to the Creator.
We can imagine, should this bizarre request be granted, the large number of sudden conversions to the Rastafarian religion.
Leaving aside the religious significance, Kenya has for some time now been raising in Parliament the issue of legalising marijuana for medicinal purposes and, as is already the case in 16 American states, to produce reefer substitutes and other products of cannabis indica processing.
According to the RSK (actually, not only for them, doctors all over the world have always been touting its qualities), the medicinal benefits of 'ganja' have been proven to combat glaucoma, chronic migraines and other diseases.
In addition, like other psychotropic substances, marijuana can be an effective palliative treatment for cancer patients.
Motivations also put forward by the son of the national opposition leader Raila Odinga Jr. who has repeatedly argued in favour of the use of green assets for medical purposes.
There is a need to legalise medical marijuana, because it is something that can help Kenya, especially sick people who will need marijuana in their treatment," Odinga said. "As Kenyans, we should ask ourselves whether it is possible to grow marijuana in a controlled environment for export and for medical use. This could also help reduce the tax burden.
A 2018 request that remained on the Members' benches, called instead for the marketing of weed to allow farmers to have another resource to be able to earn and at the same time regularize one of the most flourishing markets that do not pay taxes to the State and feed the mafias, often using even minors for illegal dealing, initiating them moreover in a dangerous way to drugs. In addition, the processing of hemp into textiles could have brought an important resource to those who would smoke the rest of the plant.
Last year, a video of Maasai Senator Ledama Ole Kina appearing in the midst of a marijuana plantation in Lithuania caused a lot of controversy, pointing out that Kenyan legislators were insane because they did not yet realise the many uses and potential profits of cannabis indica plantations. From medicines to ropes and textiles," he explained in the video, "if a plant does so much good, why avoid it by sticking to the old story of illegal drugs?
In short, even Kenya has come to argue the idea of liberalisation and that of the division between 'light' and 'heavy'. The country should already be ahead of the game in this regard, because the cultivation and use of 'miraa' (marungi) is permitted. (marungi) are permitted and there is a trade union that protects producers, and for the immoderate use of alcoholic beverages that elsewhere would kill a camel.  

(photo: a "greenhouse" in Uganda, Facebook)