The death toll in the investigation linked to a Kenyan cult that practiced starvation in an attempt to “meet Jesus Christ” has surpassed 400, with the discovery of 12 additional bodies on Monday, according to a senior official.
Rhoda Onyancha, the Coast Regional Commissioner, stated, “Total death Toll – 403,” in a message to AFP following the latest round of exhumations in the Shakahola forest. It is alleged that cult leader Paul Nthenge Mackenzie encouraged his followers to starve to death in this location.
Onyancha added that the exhumation process will continue as investigators search for more graves in the forest. The first victims were discovered on April 13, some deceased and others severely weakened and emaciated.
Government autopsies indicate that starvation appears to be the primary cause of death, although some victims, including children, showed signs of being strangled, beaten, or suffocated.
Mackenzie, a former taxi driver-turned-preacher, has been in police custody since mid-April. On July 3, a court in Mombasa extended his detention by a month pending further investigations. State prosecutors have indicated that he may face charges related to terrorism or genocide, but he has not yet entered a plea.
Mackenzie, who identifies as a pastor and is a father of seven, established the Good News International Church in 2003. Questions have arisen regarding how he managed to evade law enforcement despite his history of extremism and prior legal cases.
This case has prompted President William Ruto to address the issue of Kenya’s homegrown religious movements and the need for regulation of unscrupulous churches and cults involved in criminal activities.
Kenya has over 4,000 registered churches in the country with a population of around 50 million people, according to government figures.
Mackenzie previously faced legal trouble in 2017 when he was accused of discouraging children from attending school, claiming that education was not recognized by the Bible. He was arrested again in March after two children starved to death under their parents’ care, but was subsequently released on bond.
Following the discovery of mass graves near the town of Malindi, Mackenzie, his wife, and 16 other defendants were taken into custody. The 16 men are accused of operating an armed “enforcer gang” tasked with ensuring that no one broke their fast or left their forest hideout alive, and they remain in jail.
Mackenzie’s wife, who was detained for 62 days, was released earlier this month on a 100,000 Kenya shillings ($707) bond.
Last month, 65 followers who were rescued from the cult were charged with attempted suicide after they refused to eat. This drew condemnation from rights groups, with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights stating that the move was “inappropriate and will traumatise the survivors at a time when they most desperately require empathy.”
Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki recently accused the police of negligence in investigating the initial reports of starvation in the forest. Speaking before a senate committee investigating the matter, Kindiki also criticized the judiciary for their handling of earlier cases involving Mackenzie, suggesting that prosecutors should have ensured he remained in custody.
He described the Shakahola massacre as the worst breach of security in the country’s history and pledged to “relentlessly push for legal reforms to tame rogue preachers.”
