In brief
In the wake of Nairobi pastor Paul Mackenzie’s conviction for ordering the starvation of 190 people, his eldest son Dan reported that younger siblings continued to be forced to fast. Dan said police rescued eight children from their grandmother’s home, but the abuse began when he was only 12. He now works as a motorcycle‑taxi driver in Malindi while advocating for his brothers’ release. The Shakahola forest remains a grim reminder of a faith that condemned education and modern medicine as evil. The court’s sentencing on 6 November may provide a long‑awaited closure for the victims’ families.
In the wake of Pastor Paul Mackenzie’s conviction for ordering the starvation of 190 people, his eldest son Dan said younger siblings were still being forced to fast; police rescued eight kids from their grandmother’s home three weeks earlier.
Dan, who left school at seven, described a childhood of torture and denial of food, and said he now drives a motorcycle taxi in Malindi while supporting his siblings.
He added that the cult’s doctrine forbade education and dismissed modern medicine as “evil,” and that mourned families continue to ask for justice.
The Shakahola forest, where more than 400 bodies were uncovered, has become a symbol of a faith that condemned breathing, medicine and learning.
The sentencing is scheduled for 6 November, after the court found Mackenzie guilty of 190 murders and a chorus of co‑accused leaders who led similar cults.
