Kenya cult leader Paul Mackenzie convicted of 191 murders

Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, leader of the Good News International Ministries, has been found guilty of murdering 191 people, including 190 children, in Kenya. The verdict follows the Shakahola Forest massacre, where authorities discovered hundreds of bodies in shallow graves after Mackenzie's arrest in 2023.

According to court proceedings, Mackenzie led his followers to an isolated area near the Kenyan coast, where he enforced extreme fasting practices. He reportedly instructed parents to starve their children so they could “meet Jesus.” The movement also rejected modern medicine and formal education, viewing them as contrary to religious teachings.

In addition to Mackenzie, 28 other members of the sect were also found guilty. Testimony from a former security official indicated that those who refused to fast were sometimes subjected to violence. The case has sparked significant controversy in Kenya, with human rights activists criticizing the government for failing to intervene sooner as the deaths occurred.