- On Thursday, a contingent of police officers acting on intelligence reports visited Shakahola on a fact-finding mission and managed to rescue 15 people.
- However, four people; three men and a woman, died while they were being evacuated to Malindi sub-county hospital for specialized treatment and care.
Image: ALPHONCE GARI
Some human rights activists, religious and political leaders have condemned the cult-like teaching of controversial Malindi-based Pastor Paul Mackenzie.
Mackenzie of Good News International has been preaching to his followers to fast and pray for several days and eventually, a number of them have died due to hunger.
On Thursday, four people died while they were being evacuated by the police from Shakahola village of Lango Baya in Kilifi after starving for several days.
Last month, Mackenzie was arrested by police officers over the death of two minors in similar circumstances but was released on a Sh10,000 police bond.
On Thursday, a contingent of police officers acting on intelligence reports visited Shakahola on a fact-finding mission and managed to rescue 15 people.
Among them, six were in very critical condition.
However, four people; three men and a woman, died while they were being evacuated to Malindi subcounty hospital for specialised treatment and care.
Police officers said they got a report on Wednesday from a resident who informed them that there were “some ignorant people who were starving to death in a cult-like belief that when they died they will go to heaven.”
Subcounty Criminal Investigations Officer Charles Kamau confirmed the incident, saying they raided the village thereafter.
“We rescued 15 people, but four, unfortunately, succumbed on our way to Malindi. Three are in critical condition,” the police boss said.
The victims were allegedly being brainwashed by Pastor Mackenzie, according to the police.
Kamau said the people were starving, “after they were radicalised by a man who reportedly told them that their mission on earth had come to an end.”
“We are going to take legal action against the survivors as they had committed an offence of attempting suicide,” Kamau said.
The 11 rescued victims are being admitted to the Malindi subcounty hospital and three of them are in very critical condition.
The details of the four who died are yet to be established, however, fingerprints were taken for identification, according to police.
It's alleged that there is a shallow mass grave of about 31 victims in Shakahola forest within Lango Baya where the victims who have died from self-inflicted starvation were buried. The Star could not independently verify this claim.
Muslim for Human Rights (Muhuri) rapid response officer Francis Auma said it is inexplicable why the government has so far failed to take any concrete against the sect and its leader.
Auma said human rights have been severely violated and so far, “we have lost at least six people including two children.”
"We have been monitoring the situation since we first heard of it. We even went to the ground but failed to access the exact area because of the militia of the sect who openly walk with machetes and other crude weapons," Auma said.
Auma said they have information that even police fear accessing the area.
"This means someone has been allowed to become so powerful after brainwashing people. Have the security agents have been brainwashed too?" Auma asked.
Malindi-based human rights activist Victor Kaudo said he saw the four bodies of three men and a woman who had died from starving for days.
“This is very sad. The survivors are receiving treatment, and some are in very critical condition,” he said.
Kilifi county nominated Member of County Assembly Justin Rafiki said that the controversial pastor should be arrested and be charged in court for inciting people to starve to death.
Rafiki called on Governor Gideon Mung’aro to intervene to prevent more people from being radicalised as many people were dying due to his teachings.
Those admitted to the hospital are 17-year-old Allan Obiero from Majengo in Kisumu, Wycliffe Waimoi (43) from Kisumu West, 38-year-old Jane Nyambura from Vihiga, 35-year-old Mercy Aoko also from Kisumu.
Others are Paul Karisa Katana from Bamba Kilifi, Felix Wandera (37) from Busia, David Abuhaya (49) from Vihiga, Collins Kabaye (22) from Mbale Busia, Monica Masika (36) from Kakamega and Alfred Shitemi (32) from Vihiga.
The detail of the eleventh person is still unknown, as she is in critical condition.
Pastor Mackenzie has multiple cases in court over his radical teachings and has always ended up walking scot-free whenever he is arraigned in court.
In last month’s arrest, police had asked for two weeks to continue holding the controversial preacher, but the Malindi resident Magistrate Olga Onalo dismissed the police application and released the controversial preacher on a Sh10,000 police bond.
She ordered that Mackenzie should appear before the Malindi Police Station anytime upon request.