Paul Mackenzie, the leader of a Kenyan starvation cult, is facing a potential death sentence as he awaits sentencing for the murder of 190 children. The convictions stem from the horrific events at the sect's base in the Shakahola Forest, where hundreds of bodies have been discovered since 2023. Mackenzie, who led the Good News International Church, was accused of instructing his followers to starve themselves to death to "meet Jesus."
Last month, Mackenzie and 28 co-accused were convicted of murdering 190 children and one adult between January 2021 and September 2023. Mackenzie's lawyer has stated an intention to appeal the verdict. He also faces separate charges of manslaughter and terrorism, which he denies.
The prosecution is seeking the death penalty for Mackenzie, citing the immense loss of life and the dangerous nature of his actions. "The prosecution supports the imposition of capital punishment for Mackenzie, subject to consideration of his mitigation, remorse, regret and prospects of rehabilitation," said Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Jami Yamina. Although Kenya's law allows for capital punishment, no executions have been carried out in the country since 1987.
Prosecutors have requested life imprisonment sentences for Mackenzie's co-accused, arguing they were heavily indoctrinated and pose a risk of reoffending. Approximately 120 prosecution witnesses testified during the trial.
According to testimony, the cult discouraged formal education, viewing modern medicine and hospitals as tools of the devil, and demanded followers sever ties with the outside world. Mackenzie was arrested in April 2023 after a human rights group alerted authorities, leading to the rescue of some followers from the Shakahola Forest. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights reported a death toll of 429 in 2024, with many victims remaining unidentified.
The case has intensified calls for stricter regulation of religious organizations, particularly after revelations that Mackenzie had been arrested twice before and subsequently released. Survivors like Stephen Mwiti, who lost all six of his children to the cult in 2022, expressed their pain and anger. "Even if he were to be hanged, I will never see my children again," Mwiti told Reuters, visiting the grave of his son Samuel, one of the few victims whose remains were identified. Mwiti questioned Mackenzie's claims that followers starved themselves willingly, pointing to evidence of strangulation in post-mortems. "Assuming the adults he had converted agreed to fast without being forced, what about the children?" he asked.
Authorities discovered additional bodies in a nearby village last year, which were also linked to Mackenzie's cult. The widespread discovery of bodies in shallow graves in Shakahola Forest began weeks after Mackenzie's arrest in 2023.