“Mimi najua hii ni mboga ya ugali”.Murang’a Man Arrested for Growing Bhang Says He’s Been Eating It as a Vegetable Since 1982
In a bizarre but fascinating twist of events, a 74-year-old man from Gaturi in Murang’a County has left many Kenyans talking after he was arrested for cultivating cannabis (commonly known as bhang) on his farm — only to claim he has been using it as a vegetable for over 40 years.
The elderly man, identified as Mzee Samuel Waweru, was nabbed earlier this week after police officers acting on a tip-off stormed his compound and found lush cannabis plants thriving alongside maize, beans, and sukuma wiki.
But while many might expect a typical drug trafficking story, Waweru’s explanation stunned even the authorities.
“Hii si bangi kwangu, ni mboga. Nimekuwa nikikula hii mboga tangu 1982 na sijawahi kuwa mgonjwa,”
(This is not bhang to me, it’s a vegetable. I’ve been eating it since 1982 and I’ve never been sick), he calmly told journalists outside the Murang’a Police Station.
According to Mzee Waweru, the cannabis plant has been a part of his regular diet for over four decades. He says he boils the leaves like any other traditional vegetable — much like managu, kunde, or terere — and eats them with ugali.
He credits his advanced age and robust health to what he calls his “natural green remedy.”
“Watu wananunua dawa na vitamin za bei ghali, mimi nalima hii mboga yangu na kula bure,”
(People buy expensive medicine and vitamins; I grow my own green and eat for free.)
The elderly farmer says he learned the practice from his grandfather, who believed that certain herbs, including cannabis, had healing and nutritional value when consumed in moderation.
Locals in Gaturi expressed shock, saying Mzee Waweru was known for his quiet life and traditional knowledge. Some admitted to having tasted his herbal meals but had no idea that the secret ingredient was cannabis.
“He once served us a bitter vegetable soup and said it was for cleansing the stomach. We never knew it was bhang!” one neighbor said, laughing.
Despite his explanation, police officers say the law is clear. Cannabis remains a prohibited substance in Kenya, and possession, cultivation, or consumption — even for personal use — is against the law.
“Whether used as food, medicine, or for leisure, cannabis is classified as a narcotic under Kenyan law. The suspect will be charged accordingly,” said Murang’a South Sub-County Police Commander Peter Kimani.
Waweru now faces charges under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, which could see him fined or jailed for up to 20 years if convicted.
