Disturbing Emotions of Direct Treachery and Deaths Among Shakahola Ritual Victims

By Kalama Mshomi 

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

As the courtroom in Shanzu hummed with the usual bustle of legal proceedings, a sudden silence descended upon the space.

Every eye in the room was fixed on the witness, a 36-year-old man whose composed demeanor masked the traumatic narrative he was about to share.

From the judge to the attendants, everyone sensed the gravity of the testimony that was about to unfold—a story that would expose a harrowing saga of deceit and tragedy.

The trial of Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, the leader of the Good News International Church —infamously known as the Shakahola cult — took a darker turn as a key witness for the state described the terrifying experience of being manipulated into starving his own daughter and wife to death.

Testifying before Shanzu Principal Magistrate Leah Juma, the witness painted a disturbing picture of manipulation and despair, revealing the extent of Mackenzie’s hold over his followers.

The witness, whose identity remains confidential, began by recounting his first encounter with Mackenzie around 2012 or 2013 while working as a boda boda rider in Malindi.

At the time, Mackenzie was a taxi driver operating near Palm Garden in Malindi.

According to the witness, Mackenzie captivated him with teachings that resonated with his strong Christian upbringing.

Drawn to Mackenzie’s charismatic preaching, he started attending services at the church in Malindi’s Furunzi area, eventually becoming the youth treasurer and keyboardist.

“I remember traveling with the pastor to Watamu, Mlolongo, and Ruiru for open-air sermons around 2016. I also discovered that Pastor Mackenzie had launched a TV station called Times TV,” the witness recounted.

*Enticing* *Followers*

The witness further testified that Mackenzie would entice his followers by claiming he was selling an acre of land for just Sh1,000.

“On Sundays, he would tell the congregation that there was land available in Shakahola at a bargain price. This activity began in 2021. As a tuk-tuk driver and a close associate of Mackenzie, I was responsible for transporting the victims to Shakahola forest.”

The witness became emotional as he described how he eventually settled on a two-acre plot after purchasing it for Sh2,000. He later starved his daughter to death, believing it would hasten her journey to heaven.

“When Mackenzie introduced the concept of fasting, it quickly gained momentum in Shakahola forest. Soon, as the number of those dying from starvation grew, we stopped holding meetings under the trees and instead gathered for funeral services that were referred to as ‘harusi’ (weddings).”

He informed the court that one of his children was the first to die and that during the burial, she was called a “shujaa” (heroine).

“Every time we attended a funeral, the deceased were described as shujaa celebrating with the angels.”

Afterward, attendees were urged to continue fasting.

The witness stated that initially, he was reluctant to deprive his daughter of food.

But as more children began to die and he attended their burials, he was questioned about why his own children were not fasting.

In February 2023, he succumbed to the pressure and forced his daughter to fast, a practice commonly known as “kupanda mlima” (climbing the mountain). The child passed away on March 15, 2023.

He described the painful process of wrapping his daughter’s body in a leso for burial.

“The burial, held within my homestead, was conducted by Julius from the Judea area, one of the accused. My family lived in Bethlehem.”

After his daughter’s death, his wife also began fasting. Within a week of not eating, she moved to the makeshift fasting tents in the Tiro area to evade the police, who had entered the forest to rescue the victims.

The witness’s testimony provided a detailed account of how Mackenzie systematically isolated his followers from their families and communities, creating a tightly controlled environment where his word was absolute.

His narrative highlighted the psychological manipulation and coercion that led many to their deaths.

Mackenzie’s promises of salvation through suffering resonated deeply with his followers, many of whom were vulnerable and seeking spiritual direction.

The lure of cheap land in Shakahola, combined with the promise of closer communion with the divine, proved to be a powerful attraction.

Once trapped in Mackenzie’s influence, followers were cut off from external influences, their lives revolving entirely around the alleged cult’s activities.

The court heard that Mackenzie’s control extended beyond spiritual manipulation. His authority over his followers’ properties, including land sales and transportation to Shakahola, solidified his power.

Those who questioned his teachings or failed to adhere to the strict fasting regimen faced social exclusion and intense peer pressure.

As the trial continues, the court is expected to hear more testimonies shedding light on the extent of Mackenzie’s alleged crimes and the suffering endured by his followers.

The witness’s heart-wrenching account of loss and deceit stands as a stark reminder of the profound impact Mackenzie’s teachings had on his followers.

It is not only providing crucial evidence in the case against Mackenzie, but also underscoring the importance of greater awareness and intervention to prevent similar tragedies in the future.