[REVISION HISTORY]

Paul Mackenzie convicted in Shakahola Forest massacre

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2026-10-21 11:12 UTC → 2026-10-25 03:02 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The legal and social fallout from the Shakahola Forest massacre in Kenya continues to unfold. In October 2026, authorities in Malindi rescued several ~~children~~ children, aged six to 16, from the home of Anastacia Mumwele, the mother of incarcerated preacher Paul Mackenzie. The ~~children, aged six to 16,~~ children were reportedly subjected to enforced fasting and denied education because Mackenzie had failed to obtain birth certificates for them. Ms. Mumwele was arrested on potential charges of child cruelty and torture. In a significant legal development, the Mombasa High Court has convicted Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and 28 co-accused for the murder of 191 people, including 190 children. The deaths occurred between January 2021 and September 2023. Lady Justice Diana Kavedza Mochache ruled that the Good News International Church operated as a cult, utilizing a structured hierarchy and religious teachings to direct followers toward extreme fasting. The court heard that the doctrine also prohibited modern medicine and formal education, labeling them as ‘evil.’ Prosecutors successfully argued that a doomsday doctrine encouraged followers to starve themselves and their children to ‘meet Jesus.’ The court found that the religious and communications network established by Mackenzie facilitated these deadly practices. Lady Justice Mochache rejected defense claims that the victims had fasted voluntarily, noting that the prosecution established a specific sequence of deaths where children were targeted first, followed by women and then men. Witnesses testified that children were often restrained or denied food and water to enforce the fasting. Beyond the murder convictions, Mackenzie faces additional charges including terrorism and radicalization. While this verdict addresses 191 specific murder counts, investigations into the remaining deaths are ongoing, as authorities have recovered more than 400 bodies from the Shakahola area since 2023.

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