•The committee was also informed that a significant number of the people lured into the forest were sourced from other parts of Kenya
•The recruitment was done by agents in different parts of the country
Image: FILE
Controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie leveraged the anxiety and desperation of Kenyans during the COVID-19 pandemic to recruit more followers to his church.
In the final report by the Senate Ad Hoc committee investigating the Shakahola tragedy, it was established that hundreds of vulnerable people were recruited into the cult during the pandemic.
The recruitment was done by agents in different parts of the country.
The committee led by Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana was also informed that many of the people lured into the forest were sourced from other parts of Kenya.
This is due to the fact that the local people were aware of Mackenzie’s activities and disagreed with his teachings.
The agents recruited hundreds of people from across Kenya and lured them to Shakahola Forest on the promise of cheap and affordable arable land.
According to the report, the land was being sold for as low as Sh2,000 per acre.
The report which has since been tabled in the Senate says it was yet to be established whether there were sister churches and preachers outside the country.
However, information availed to the committee indicated that there were affiliate branches of Good News International Ministries in Makongeni in Nairobi county.
Others are Mbui Nzau and Ndeini in Makueni county, Sameta in Kisii County, Usoma in Kisumu County and Bombolulu and Jomvu Kuu in Mombasa County.
In their submissions to the committee on July 25, Kilifi County Assembly Committee said that most of the affected families were not indigenous to the county.
However, most people who were exposed to the teachings of Paul Mackenzie had relatives who resided in the coastal areas including Voi, Malindi and Kilifi.
“Vulnerability, desperation of people, increase in mental health issues, chronic diseases, poverty and misfortune led the victims to search for miracles and fall prey to extremism,” the report shows.
“In addition, the county commissioner, Kilifi county informed the Committee that most people in Vihiga county were known to be religious and could easily fall prey to the doctrine taught by Good News International Ministries."
In Kisumu county, followers of Mackenzie were directed to meet an unidentified person based at Gita Prayer Centre in Kajulu, Kisumu East, the report shows.
The unidentified person would then lure them to travel to Malindi from Luanda Bus Stage in Vihiga county, for alleged spiritual emancipation and nourishment.
"They were promised that upon arrival, they would receive high spiritual guidance and fellowship at Good News International Ministries besides being offered free housing and meals," the report shows.
Even though Good News International Ministries did not have a physical church in Vihiga county, it used agents to recruit its followers.
In their submissions to the committee, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said the influx of people into the forest intensified during the COVID-19 period in 2020.
After being allocated land in Shakahola Forest, the followers built makeshift grass-thatched mud structures with neither road networks nor social amenities such as schools and health facilities.