Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) caused by the fungi Hemileia vastatrix Berkeley and Broome has been causing leaf losses of up to 70% in Arabica coffee. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of shade on the progression and severity of Coffee Leaf Rust in Murang'a County in Kenya. Thirty eight (38) small scale coffee farms were randomly selected. On each farm, four (4) coffee bushes of which two were in tree shade and two were in open sun were selected and marked. Four branches were marked from the top, middle and lower canopies of the bush. Ten leaves were then marked on each branch clearly showing the oldest and the youngest leaves. Scoring was done on the number of lesions per leaf, level of severity and the period between infection and leaf fall. ANOVA showed that coffee bushes under shade retained the infected leaves for significantly longer periods than bushes in open sun while the disease severity was significantly higher in the trees in shade than open sun. The results indicate that shade can be used to manage CLR.