• One hundred and twelve people have been reported missing as the investigation into a massacre cult in Shakahola, Kilifi, continues.
• Detectives conducting exhumations dug out 18 more bodies buried in shallow graves, to push the tally of bodies so far exhumed.
• CS Jumwa is said to have accused Mackenzie of giving bribes to security agencies to prevent the church from being closed down.
One hundred and twelve people have been reported missing as the investigation into a massacre cult in Shakahola, Kilifi, continues.
In a tweet early Monday, the Kenya Red Cross said it had set up tracing and counselling desks at the Malindi Sub-County Hospital for the Shakahola response.
At the tracing desk, 112 people had been reported missing, as the exercise to exhume more mass graves in what has now become known as the Shakahola massacre, entered its fourth day.
Detectives conducting exhumations on Sunday, April 23, dug out 18 more bodies buried in shallow graves, to push the tally of bodies so far exhumed to 39.
At the heart of the massacre is Pastor Paul Mackenzie, a controversial preacher who reportedly indoctrinated his followers, some of whom dropped out of school while others left their jobs to follow a religious mirage.
Members of what is now being described as a religious cult were instructed to fast themselves to death with the promise of meeting Jesus.
It is believed that hundreds of followers of the controversial pastor, drawn from different parts of the country, had abandoned their homes, with some selling their property before they traveled to Malindi to join the killer fast.
Detectives have yet to dig up more than 50 graves discovered on Sunday, even as the number of those who are still alive remains unknown.
In December 2018, controversial pastor Paul Mackenzie, locked horns with Public Service and Gender Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa over his church activities.
The controversial preacher, claimed CS Jumwa, then MP for Malindi, was inciting the public against his church, the Good News International.
At the time, Jumwa threatened to storm the premise over claims of radical teachings that have seen children skip school after they were ‘brainwashed’ to believe that education was ‘satanic’.
CS Jumwa is said to have accused Mackenzie of giving bribes to security agencies to prevent the church from being closed down.
“It is absurd that despite having been arrested about three times and charged, the pastor is still scot-free and continues with his work of radicalising school children,” said Jumwa at a past address.
In a quick rebuttal, Pastor Mackenzie warned CS Jumwa against her plot, vowing to take action against her and other politicians opposed to his religious activities.
“If anyone feels offended about my summons and teachings in accordance to the scripture, let them go to court and produce evidence, I am not afraid to serve my god,” he said during a church service.
CS Jumwa had threatened to make her move after a video started making rounds online showing children aged between 6 to 17 years renouncing education which led to public outcry.
In the two-minute video clip, one of the boys is heard responding to a question saying education is ungodly as revealed in the ‘holy scriptures’.
In October 2017, police officers raided the Good News International church and rescued about 93 children, leading to the arrest of Pastor Mackenzie and some church members.
He was later taken to court and charged with promoting radicalisation and teaching children in an unregistered school at his church.
He denied the charges and was released on a Ksh.500,000 bond with surety of a similar amount.
During investigations, some of the children interrogated claimed that education is satanic and said they had left their homes and schools to follow the pastor.
The pastor’s followers, who include primary, secondary school and university students, defended their decision to drop out of school, quoting Bible verses.
In October 2018, angry residents at Bungale in Magarini, Kilifi County demolished one of Pastor Makenzi’s churches on claims of indoctrinating locals with false Christian teachings.
Locals also razed down the home of a Pastor who worked for Pastor Makenzi at Good News International church at Majengo ya Wakala village in Bungale for allegedly promoting extremism.
In a recent probe, however, more details surrounding the controversial cult are being unearthed consecutively as detectives probing the case recover more bodies buried at Shakahola Forest in Kilifi.
The case that is now termed as the Shakahola Massacre has seen a total of 39 bodies being exhumed, with some of them found buried in a mass grave.
Preliminary investigations show that Pastor Mackenzie allegedly instructed members to starve themselves in order to “meet Jesus.”
The latter led to the death of two children while in their parents’ care, according to local media.
Mackenzie was charged and freed on a Ksh.10,000 bail.
However, on April 15, police arrested him after discovering the bodies of four followers who allegedly starved themselves to “meet Jesus” at his behest.
Eleven other followers of the church, seven men and four women aged 17 to 49, were taken to hospital, three of them in critical condition, after being rescued on April 14.
