#MarijuanaBill: What does Sonko’s speech at the Late Okoth’s memorial mean to Kenyans?

Just recently the governor of  Nairobi County Mike Sonko urged allied MPs to push the legalisation of bhang in memory of the late Kibra MP Ken Okoth.

Okoth had sponsored a bill seeking to legalise it, saying it was useful for cancer treatment.

The late MP had written a letter to National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi in 2018, saying amnesty measures should be instituted for the removal of criminal records against citizens with prior convictions of marijuana use.

Gov Mike Sonko, Image/Twitter

There is a regulation for growth and safe use of marijuana and hemp, including the registration of growers, producers, and manufacturers. The should be progressive taxation measures for the marijuana industry to boost Kenya’s economic independence and promote job creation.

He argued that thousands of jobs are possible to come by along the full spectrum of the value addition chain for marijuana and hemp.

The governor urged legislators present, including Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, to push on with Okoth’s Bill.  He was speaking at Moi Girls High School in Kibra, where the second memorial service for Okoth was held.

Tunasikia bangi iko na dawa ya cancer

He said President Uhuru Kenyatta’s upcoming tour to Jamaica will pave the way for the importation of ‘pure marijuana’.

Ikipitishwa tutahakikisha ile bangi safi inaletwa kutoka Jamaica

Gov Mike Sonko, Image/Courtesy

This comes after the other day Matiangi called someone who had applied for a license to operate a medicinal marijuana factory a lunatic. Does he know that the best pain killers are derived from narcotics?

Does he know that most of today’s greatest inventions were created by people thought to be lunatics? The first person who thought of wireless telephony (what you use now as mobile phones) was told he was mad to imagine communication without a direct line. The first guys to build a flying machine were dismissed many times as lazy dreamers.

Pethidine, Morphine, DF 118 (all synthetic opioids) are available in hospitals and are actually cheap to buy but due to tough regulations, no one can buy them freely. The keyword is regulations.

Instead of dismissing issues because of personal or religious reasons, a good leader must analyse them critically first.

Now the truth is here with us, Bangi is medicine. Okoth died trying to push for it to be legalized. Sonko is fighting for the same. Uhuru is heading to Jamaica.

The news has garnered a response from Kenyans who have had their views and opinions aired.

Here is the video:

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