How did a preacher persuade parents to let their children starve to death in the name of religion?
The answer lies in a deadly combination of religious manipulation, isolation, fear and control.
Kenyan pastor Paul Mackenzie and 28 co-accused were convicted on October 19 over the deaths of 190 children and one adult in the Shakahola Forest tragedy. The convictions followed a case that exposed how a self-styled religious leader allegedly turned a remote forest settlement into a place of systematic abuse and death.
Mackenzie, who ran the Good News International Church, attracted followers with apocalyptic teachings and promises of spiritual salvation. Prosecutors said he convinced believers that abandoning ordinary life and following his instructions was necessary to prepare for the end of the world.
Many followers moved to or near Shakahola Forest, a remote and densely wooded area in Kilifi County. The isolation made it easier for the group’s leaders to control residents and harder for relatives, authorities and outsiders to see what was happening.
According to evidence presented in court, children were targeted first. They were allegedly denied food and water, while guards prevented some followers from escaping or obtaining supplies. Those who resisted the fasting directive or attempted to protect their children reportedly faced threats and violence.
The alleged plan was structured around a strict hierarchy. Children were reportedly ordered to die first, followed by women and men. Some victims were allegedly strangled, beaten or suffocated when starvation did not kill them quickly enough. Bodies were then buried in shallow graves across the forest.
The prosecution argued that the deaths were not isolated acts of neglect but part of an organized scheme carried out under Mackenzie’s direction. The court heard that followers were pressured to obey his teachings, surrender their possessions and cut themselves off from the outside world.
The tragedy began to emerge publicly after a former follower raised the alarm. In April 2023, police entered the forest and found survivors who were severely malnourished. Some reportedly refused food because they believed eating would prevent them from reaching heaven.
As investigators searched the area, they discovered grave after grave. More than 400 bodies were eventually recovered, making the Shakahola deaths one of the deadliest cult-related tragedies in recent history. Many victims were children, and some bodies remained unidentified because of the condition of the remains and the difficulty of the forensic investigation.
The scale of the deaths raised questions about how the group operated for so long without intervention. Shakahola was remote, and many families had limited contact with relatives who had joined Mackenzie’s movement. The group’s isolation, combined with fear and religious pressure, helped conceal the suffering.
There were also warnings before the mass graves were found. Mackenzie had previously faced legal scrutiny over his preaching and the deaths of children linked to his followers. Critics questioned why earlier reports did not lead to stronger action.
The case also triggered a national debate over religious regulation in Kenya, a country with a large Christian population and thousands of churches and religious organizations. Supporters of religious freedom warned against excessive government control, while others argued that authorities needed stronger safeguards to prevent abusive leaders from exploiting vulnerable people.
Mackenzie denied the murder charges and rejected the prosecution’s allegations. His supporters maintained that the deaths were connected to individual decisions by followers rather than a coordinated plan directed by him.
The court, however, found Mackenzie and 28 co-accused responsible for the deaths of 190 children and one adult. The convictions marked a major legal reckoning over the Shakahola tragedy, although the wider investigation into the hundreds of deaths continued.
The case remains a stark warning about how charismatic leaders can use faith to gain control over followers. In Shakahola, religious promises were allegedly transformed into commands, isolation became a tool of control, and obedience ended in the deaths of hundreds of people.
The tragedy also exposed the danger of ignoring early warnings. By the time authorities entered the forest, many victims were already dead, and the full scale of the disaster was only beginning to emerge.
Sources: Reuters and Associated Press.
