Nairobi, 21 October 2026: A Kenyan court has convicted self-proclaimed pastor Paul McKenzie and 28 of his associates of murder. In this case, hundreds of people lost their lives due to superstition and starvation.
In this judgment of a court in Mombasa, a case related to the death of 190 children and one adult person was heard. The accused had given such a misleading message to his followers that if they die of hunger before the doomsday (end of the world) comes, they will be able to directly enter heaven and attain salvation.
Mass graves found in Shakahola forest
This horrific story came to light in 2023, when a local resident informed the police about the death of children in Shakahola forest. In the subsequent search and excavation work, so far more than 400 dead bodies have been found in the mass graves.
Investigations and court proceedings have revealed that the children were kept in isolation even in the presence of their family members and were forced to starve, due to which they died in extreme pain.
The conspiracy to create hunger was hatched in three stages.
According to investigators, the plan to starve people who were part of the cult was a highly planned, three-step process. In the first phase, innocent children were targeted; In the second phase, women and youth had to suffer from starvation; And finally, preparations were made to target men.
Additionally, Mackenzie forbade his followers from sending their children to school, and prohibited them from seeking medical treatment if anyone fell ill.
The authorities had long been aware of McKenzie's suspicious activities. In 2017, the police raided his places and in 2019, his church was closed. However, he managed to escape the clutches of the law and took up residence in the Geech forests of Shakahola, where he continued to run his deadly network without any hindrance.
The court rejected all of McKenzie's arguments and convicted him and 28 of his associates; On the other hand, the defense has indicated that they will appeal against this verdict in the higher court.
The punishment for those found guilty will be announced on 6 November. Apart from this, another case involving the death of 52 other persons is also pending against McKenzie, in which he has declared himself innocent.
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