In brief
Court verdict confirmed that Paul Mackenzie, the leader of a Shakahola cult, ordered followers to starve children until they died. The 191‑count murder conviction includes 190 child victims, reflecting the cult’s extremist doctrine that medicine and education were evil. Twenty‑eight co‑leaders were also found guilty, and investigators uncovered more than 400 bodies in shallow graves. The case highlights the devastating impact of charismatic cults on vulnerable families and the importance of safeguarding children in remote communities.
In a landmark verdict delivered in Mombasa, the Kenyan High Court found Paul Mackenzie – the former pastor who led a doomsday cult – guilty of murdering 191 people, 190 of whom were children. Mackenzie is accused of ordering his followers to starve children until death, under the false belief that the fast would bring them into the presence of Jesus.
The cult’s teachings banned modern medicine and education, describing them as corrupt. Over 400 bodies were unearthed in shallow graves across the Shakahola forest, where the group lived in mud huts with no access to healthcare. Testimonies revealed that children were tied, wrapped in sheets, and buried in mass graves, often with their parents unknowingly leaving them to starve.
Twenty‑eight other leaders were also convicted of murder, though they pleaded not guilty, insisting no one had been forced to die. The judge explained that followers believed Mackenzie was “Jesus’s mouthpiece,” so compliance was seen as a spiritual duty.
The case drew national attention when investigators discovered bodies in 2023, leading to Mackenzie’s arrest. He is scheduled for sentencing on 6 November, while other legal actions, including terrorism and radicalisation charges, remain pending.
For many survivors, the verdict was a painful reminder of the cult’s cruelty. Stephen Mwiti, whose six children died in Shakahola, said he was relieved in front of the court, noting that victims’ families had long been seeking justice. Yet others, such as former follower Peter Shukrani, continue to view Mackenzie as a benefactor, claiming he saved their lives by refusing medication in the forest.
