To legalize bhang or not
National
By
Irene Githinji
| Jun 13, 2026
The debate on whether or not to legalize bhang in the country found its way to the National Assembly, coming against the backdrop of the threat caused by narcotic drugs, especially among the young people.
There was a sharp division among MPs on whether to allow it or not, as they differed on the implications that this move would have in the country and called for critical introspection before such a decision can be taken.
Ugenya MP, David Ochieng led in calling for legalization of bhang saying it is time to check whether it can be allowed so that people can use it and argued that since independence, it has been impounded, coming from Uganda into the country every week.
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“It is time we checked why bhang and not any other…We must get a way of dealing with bhang in a better manner than illegalizing it. I have to give a personal example on this matter. Five years ago, I went down with a terrible back pain and was recommended a surgery in India. For a whole year, I got bhang and every evening, I would boil it in water and take it before I go to sleep… I did for a whole year and got better,” he told the House.
“I do not believe that when we keep saying that bhang is bad, it is illegal – we have been impounding it since the 1960s and it is not stopping. We need a better way to deal with it. It can’t be that bhang helps with medicine in other countries, where there are open shops, we must deal with it that way. We can’t keep doing the colonial way that it is bad. No, we need to get to reality and say it has been there for a long time and how can we best deal with it,” Ochieng added.
Dagoretti North, MP Beatrice Elachi said that as they speak about this subject, she termed it as sad that in rallies, that is the cigarette that the young people are using.
“We must ask ourselves that as much as we say it is illegal, they are smoking it in front of you and the police are there. We have to think through and ask ourselves how to make it in a manner that will ensure that it becomes legal but must have its own consequences just the same way we have cigarettes. That is the cigarette they are using in front of you and there is nothing to do,” she said.
Deputy Majority leader, Owen Baya termed it as a difficult route that just because bhang is being impounded, it should be made available for all and could be a wrong trajectory for the country.
“As a country, we need to see how we can make good use of something that has benefited other countries, including having factories. We challenge Ochieng, who is a good legislator, lawyer and drafts man he should draft a bill, bring it here let’s debate it, subject it to public participation and hear what Kenyans are saying about it and we can pass the law in this house and make it legal if that is what Kenyans want,” Baya said.
But Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Wetang'ula said: “Have you gone to places where bhang is abused and seen our children look like zombies? Anyway, the Speaker is not a debater.”
But Trans Nzoia County MP, Lillian Chebet dismissed the thought of legalizing it saying there could be benefits but the kind of damage could worsen if it is made available.
“We should not legalize something that we have already seen the results from the youths. If we can take some time and visit hospitals and see our children are mentally ill. As much as our children are using it, we will not legalize it,” she uttered.