Rastafarian father moves to court after Olympic High School ejected daughter over dreadlocks

Rastafarian father moves to court after school ejected daughter over dreadlocks

Tony Mukere

January 14, 2019 5:53 PM

Historic case

Rastafarian father moves to court after Olympic High School ejected daughter over dreadlocks

The High Court will determine a historic case involving a Rastafarian father whose daughter was refused admission at a public school as a result of her dread-locked hair that she keeps in observance of her religion.

The man from Kibera on Monday moved to the High Court where he sued Olympic High School and the Ministry of Education on grounds of religious discrimination.

"Every person has the right, either individually or in community with others, in public or in private, to manifest any religion or belief through worship, practice, teaching or observance, including observance of a day of worship,” the Constitution of Kenya says in Article 30 (1).

Ekuru Aukot

Rastafarian father moves to court after Olympic High School ejected daughter over dreadlocks Pulse Live Kenya

Thirdway Alliance party leader Ekuru Auko, one of the framers of the Constitution, is among those who have offered legal support to assist the Rastafarian student join form one.

“This morning we've visited the family of the young lady who was denied admission to Olympic High school just because she belongs to Rastafarian community. We shall be taking up this matter to try and assist. This is violation of the constitution under bill of rights,” Aukot tweeted on Monday morning.

Rastafari is an Abrahamic religion, inspired by traditional African religious practices and which developed in Jamaica in the 1930s, following the coronation of Haile Selassie I as King of Ethiopia in 1930.

Rastafarians do not keep their hair dread-locked on spiritual grounds and are inspired by the lion of Judah symbol which appears on the Ethiopian flag.

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