A demonstration advocating for the legalisation of cannabis in Namibia took place in Windhoek on International Cannabis Day.

Activists and users gathered to raise awareness about the medicinal, economic, and industrial potential of the plant.

The march, led by cannabis advocate Borro Ndungula and members of the Ganja Users of Namibia (GUN), began near the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre and moved along Independence Avenue to Ausspannplatz. 

Participants urged the government to rethink its stance on cannabis legislation.

Ndungula said that the movement is not asking for permission to smoke, as many users continue to do so regardless of the law. 

Instead, he clarified that the demand is rooted in the urgent need to legalise cannabis for medicinal use. 

Activists argue that Namibia is increasingly isolated in its strict cannabis laws, compared to neighbouring countries.

Lesotho was the first SADC country to legalise the cultivation of cannabis, with the use of the plant restricted to medical and scientific purposes.

In 2018, South Africa's constitutional court ruled adults may use, possess and cultivate the herb in private for personal use.

Zimbabwe, in 2018, legalised the use of cannabis for export and medical reasons.

In Malawi, the recreational use remains illegal while it is legal for medicinal use.

The demonstration comes ahead of a legal challenge in the Windhoek High Court, scheduled for July. 

The case, brought by GUN leaders Brian Jaftha and Borro Ndungula, contests the constitutionality of Namibia's current cannabis laws. 

They argue that the prohibition infringes on personal freedoms, cultural practices, and religious rights and does not reflect modern scientific understanding or regional legal trends.