From Hawking to Shakahola Horror: The Rise and Fall of Pastor Paul Mackenzie
The story of Paul Nthenge Mackenzie is one of the most disturbing chapters in Kenya’s recent history, exposing the devastating consequences that can emerge when religious influence is allegedly used to control vulnerable people. From earning a living as a street hawker to becoming a controversial preacher with a devoted following, Mackenzie’s journey ended at the centre of the Shakahola tragedy, where hundreds of bodies were recovered from a forest in Kilifi County.
For years, Mackenzie built his religious identity around teachings that increasingly focused on the end of the world, salvation and the rejection of certain institutions associated with modern society. His Good News International Church attracted followers who believed in his interpretation of Christianity. However, what began as a religious movement eventually became associated with allegations of radicalisation, extreme fasting, the denial of essential services and the deaths of hundreds of people.
The tragedy came to national and international attention in April 2023, when investigators discovered shallow graves in Shakahola Forest, near Malindi. The discoveries followed reports of children dying from starvation and concerns about people disappearing into an isolated settlement. As the investigation expanded, the scale of the deaths shocked the country and raised urgent questions about religious extremism, the protection of children and the failure of authorities to intervene effectively.
More than three years later, the case reached a major turning point on October 19, 2026, when the Mombasa High Court found Mackenzie and his co-accused guilty of 191 counts of murder relating to the deaths of 190 children and one adult. The court’s decision marked a significant development in one of Kenya’s most closely watched criminal cases. Sentencing was scheduled for November 6, 2026, according to reports published after the judgment.
The conviction has renewed public interest in Mackenzie’s background, the rise of his religious movement, the warnings that preceded the tragedy and the circumstances that allowed the deadly practices to continue for an extended period.
From Street Hawking to Religious Leadership
Before his name became synonymous with the Shakahola tragedy, Mackenzie lived a relatively ordinary working life. Reports about his early years describe him as a man who earned money through small-scale trade before venturing into other economic activities.
He grew up in Kwale County and later moved to the coastal region, where he worked as a hawker, selling flour and other goods. He subsequently ventured into the taxi business in Malindi, a coastal town known for its tourism industry and diverse population.
His transition from commercial activities into religious leadership changed the direction of his life. In 2003, Mackenzie founded Good News International Church, establishing a platform through which he could communicate his religious beliefs and attract followers.
His sermons increasingly focused on biblical prophecy, the end times and the need for believers to prepare for what he described as the coming end of the world. These teachings helped establish his identity as a preacher who presented himself as having a particular understanding of biblical messages.
For some followers, his message may have offered a sense of purpose, spiritual certainty and belonging. Religious communities can provide comfort and support, especially to people experiencing economic hardship, personal struggles or uncertainty about the future.
However, the Shakahola case demonstrated the dangers that can arise when followers are encouraged to accept a leader’s interpretations without questioning them, particularly when those teachings discourage access to education, healthcare and outside assistance.
As Mackenzie’s influence grew, concerns emerged about the direction of his teachings and the restrictions imposed on people associated with his movement. Former followers and relatives later described a religious environment in which his instructions carried considerable weight over personal and family decisions.
The distinction between religious devotion and harmful control became central to the investigations that followed the discovery of the mass graves.
Mackenzie’s rise also illustrates how religious authority can develop outside traditional institutional structures. A preacher who attracts followers through sermons, personal relationships and media platforms can establish considerable influence without necessarily being subject to the same internal accountability mechanisms found in more established religious organisations.
The central issue in the Shakahola case was not simply the existence of an unconventional religious movement. It was the evidence presented in court about how the movement operated, the fasting regime imposed on followers and the unlawful acts and omissions that led to the deaths.
The Teachings That Raised Alarm
Mackenzie’s teachings reportedly became increasingly extreme over time, with followers being discouraged from participating in ordinary social institutions, including formal education and modern healthcare.
According to reporting on the investigations, his followers were taught to reject institutions he portrayed as incompatible with his religious beliefs. Some were discouraged from taking their children to school, seeking medical treatment or obtaining government identification documents.
These teachings had serious implications because they could isolate followers from the systems that ordinarily provide protection, information and assistance.
Education enables children to develop knowledge, interact with people outside their immediate environment and gain opportunities for independent decision-making. Healthcare helps families respond to illness, malnutrition and other medical emergencies. Government institutions can also provide access to services and mechanisms for protecting people at risk.
When followers are persuaded to withdraw from these institutions, their ability to seek assistance may become severely limited.
Concerns about Mackenzie’s activities were not entirely new when the Shakahola tragedy became public. In 2017, police searched his premises in Malindi and reportedly found dozens of children living in a compound without attending school. Mackenzie faced charges connected to operating an unregistered educational facility.
His church was later shut down in 2019, after which he relocated his activities to Shakahola Forest, according to reports about the case. The move to an isolated settlement made the activities of his followers more difficult for outsiders to observe.
Investigations later examined how Mackenzie’s teachings developed into a system that allegedly encouraged followers to abandon essential needs in pursuit of spiritual salvation.
The case raised an important question: how can authorities identify the point at which religious teachings become a threat to the safety and rights of followers?
Religious freedom is protected under Kenya’s Constitution, and people are entitled to practise their faith. However, freedom of religion does not provide immunity for criminal conduct or remove the obligation to protect children and other vulnerable people from harm.
The challenge for authorities is to respect legitimate religious practice while responding decisively when there is credible evidence of abuse, coercion, unlawful confinement or threats to life.
The Shakahola tragedy exposed the consequences of failing to identify and stop harmful practices before they reach catastrophic proportions.
How Followers Ended Up in Shakahola Forest
Shakahola Forest became the setting for a tragedy that would eventually expose the extent of the control allegedly exercised over Mackenzie’s followers.
Located in Kilifi County, the forest and surrounding land provided an isolated environment where followers could establish a settlement away from the daily routines of towns and villages.
Investigative reports indicated that some people were attracted to the area by the prospect of obtaining affordable agricultural land. However, survivors and relatives later described a settlement in which Mackenzie’s religious teachings shaped daily life and the decisions people made about food, healthcare and their children.
The isolation of the settlement was significant because it reduced opportunities for outsiders to observe what was happening or intervene when people became seriously ill.
According to evidence reported during the investigations and trial, the settlement was organised into areas with biblical names, while individuals associated with the movement held different responsibilities. The court heard evidence concerning the roles of people described as leaders, guards, village elders and others involved in the running of the community.
This structure became important during the criminal proceedings because the prosecution sought to establish that the deaths were not simply the result of individuals independently choosing to fast. Instead, the case examined an organised system in which religious teachings and the actions of multiple people allegedly contributed to the fatal outcome.
The environment also created particular dangers for children, who depended on adults for food, shelter, medical attention and decisions affecting their welfare.
Children cannot be expected to assess the medical risks of prolonged starvation or independently leave an isolated settlement when their caregivers have rejected outside assistance. Their vulnerability made the events in Shakahola especially disturbing.
The investigation would eventually reveal the scale of the deaths and the difficulty of identifying victims whose bodies had remained buried for extended periods.
The Discovery That Shocked Kenya
The events that brought Shakahola to national attention began with reports of deaths involving children in the coastal region.
In March 2023, concerns about children who had allegedly died from starvation led to further inquiries. Reports about missing people and suspicious activities in the forest prompted authorities to investigate more closely.
In April 2023, police began uncovering shallow graves and rescuing people who were severely malnourished. The discoveries transformed what initially appeared to be a local investigation into a major national tragedy.
As officers expanded their searches, they found additional graves spread across the forest. The number of bodies continued to rise, and the operation required extensive coordination among police, forensic experts, medical personnel and other agencies.
Eventually, more than 400 bodies were recovered from Shakahola Forest. Many of the victims were children, a detail that intensified public outrage and raised questions about the treatment of families within the settlement.
Investigators found that starvation was the cause of death in many cases, although forensic examinations also identified other causes, including suffocation, strangulation and injuries. The findings reinforced the need to investigate not only the deaths themselves but also the circumstances in which people were living and the conduct of those responsible for the settlement.
The scale of the discoveries placed enormous demands on forensic teams. Some victims had been buried for months, making identification difficult. Authorities had to undertake postmortem examinations, collect evidence and work to establish the identities of the deceased.
For families searching for missing relatives, the process brought painful uncertainty. Parents, spouses, siblings and other relatives were left trying to establish whether loved ones had entered the forest, whether they were among those who died and what had happened to them.
The tragedy also attracted international attention, with media organisations reporting on the mass graves and the role of religious extremism in the deaths.
The discoveries became widely known as the Shakahola massacre, a name that captured the scale of the loss and the horror experienced by the country.
Yet the numbers alone could not fully convey the human consequences. Behind every recovered body was a person with relationships, hopes and a family whose life had been changed by the tragedy.
The Children Who Became the Greatest Victims
One of the most painful aspects of the Shakahola case was the large number of children who died.
Children rely on adults to provide food, healthcare, shelter and protection. When adults make decisions that deprive them of these essentials, children may have little ability to protect themselves or seek help.
The prosecution’s case examined allegations that children were subjected to the fasting regime and denied the nourishment they needed to survive. The court’s judgment in the 191-count murder case addressed deaths involving 190 children and one adult.
The number of children involved has made the case a defining child-protection issue in Kenya.
It has raised questions about how schools, healthcare workers, local administrators, police and child-protection agencies can identify children who may be living in dangerous conditions.
Children who are withdrawn from school, denied medical care or isolated from extended family may become difficult to monitor. When these warning signs occur together, they can indicate a need for closer examination by the relevant authorities.
However, protecting children requires more than surveillance. Communities need clear channels for reporting concerns, trained personnel who can assess risks and procedures that allow authorities to intervene lawfully when children’s safety is threatened.
The Shakahola tragedy also highlighted the responsibility of adults to ensure that religious beliefs do not override a child’s right to life, health, education and protection from abuse.
Parents and caregivers can practise their faith while still ensuring that children receive adequate food, appropriate medical treatment and access to education.
The loss of so many young lives has left an enduring question for Kenya: how can similar tragedies be prevented when children are raised in isolated communities where a religious leader exercises extensive control?
Answering that question requires a combination of effective enforcement, community awareness, child-protection systems and responsible religious leadership.
How the Investigation Developed Into a Major Murder Trial
Following the discovery of the graves, investigators began assembling evidence to establish what had happened in Shakahola and identify those responsible.
The process involved recovering bodies, conducting postmortem examinations, interviewing survivors and witnesses, and examining the structure of the settlement.
Prosecutors sought to demonstrate that Mackenzie and other individuals had participated in a system that caused deaths through unlawful acts and omissions.
In 2024, Mackenzie and his co-accused faced 191 counts of murder connected to the deaths examined in the case. The prosecution’s evidence addressed the circumstances surrounding the victims’ deaths and the alleged roles of different people within the settlement.
The proceedings also examined whether those accused had acted together to implement and maintain the fasting regime.
In January 2026, former associate Enos Amanya pleaded guilty to the 191 murder counts, according to reports on the case. His plea marked a significant development in the proceedings.
On April 15, 2026, the High Court ruled that Mackenzie and 30 other accused persons had a case to answer and directed them to present their defence.
That ruling did not amount to a finding of guilt. It meant the court considered the prosecution’s evidence sufficient to require the accused persons to respond to the charges.
The case subsequently continued towards judgment, with the court examining the evidence and the legal responsibility of the accused.
The proceedings were significant because they involved not only the question of whether people died from starvation but also whether the deaths resulted from an unlawful system and the actions of individuals who helped enforce it.
In cases involving multiple accused persons, the court must assess the evidence against each individual and determine whether the legal requirements for criminal responsibility have been satisfied.
The prosecution must establish the charges to the required criminal standard, while the accused are entitled to the protections and procedures guaranteed by law.
The seriousness of the allegations made the case especially consequential for the families of the victims, the accused and the wider public.
Mackenzie Found Guilty of 191 Counts of Murder
On October 19, 2026, the Mombasa High Court delivered a landmark judgment, finding Mackenzie and his co-accused guilty of 191 counts of murder relating to deaths in Shakahola.
The verdict represented a major development after years of investigations, forensic work and court proceedings.
The court found that the deaths resulted from unlawful acts and omissions associated with the fasting regime and the people who helped implement and sustain it. The judgment rejected the characterisation of the deaths as merely unintended consequences of religious practices.
The 191 counts covered the deaths of 190 children and one adult. The conviction marked a critical legal milestone, although it did not resolve every criminal case connected to Shakahola.
The ruling also underlined the principle that religious teachings cannot excuse conduct that results in unlawful deaths. A leader or associate cannot avoid criminal responsibility simply by presenting harmful actions as part of a spiritual practice.
At the same time, criminal responsibility must be established through evidence and the law, rather than public anger or assumptions based on a person’s religious identity.
The judgment has been widely regarded as an important moment in the country’s response to the tragedy, particularly for families who have spent years waiting for accountability.
Sentencing was scheduled for November 6, 2026. The court would then determine the appropriate punishment in accordance with the law and the circumstances of the convictions.
The case may also proceed through the appeal process, depending on any applications made by the convicted persons and the decisions of the courts.
The verdict therefore represents a major turning point, but it is not necessarily the final stage of the legal proceedings.
The Questions Surrounding Government Oversight
Beyond the criminal responsibility of Mackenzie and his associates, the Shakahola tragedy raised serious questions about whether government agencies could have intervened earlier.
Reports about Mackenzie’s activities predated the discovery of the mass graves. The 2017 police search and the subsequent closure of his church in 2019 raised questions about the effectiveness of earlier interventions and how his activities continued after those events.
The tragedy prompted national debate about the regulation of religious organisations, the role of local administrators and the ability of authorities to identify dangerous practices before they result in loss of life.
President William Ruto acknowledged in 2023 that government agencies should have been able to prevent the deaths and said he accepted responsibility as head of state.
The acknowledgment reflected the scale of the public concern over the tragedy and the questions surrounding the effectiveness of state oversight.
However, responsibility for preventing such events cannot be addressed through a single agency. Police, local administrators, child-protection officers, health workers and other institutions may each encounter different warning signs.
Effective prevention depends on whether information is shared, complaints are investigated and appropriate action is taken when credible evidence suggests that people are in danger.
The challenge is to intervene early enough to protect lives while respecting constitutional rights and avoiding the assumption that unconventional religious beliefs are automatically evidence of criminal activity.
The Shakahola case demonstrated that authorities need reliable ways to distinguish lawful religious practice from coercion, abuse and the denial of basic rights.
It also highlighted the importance of following up on credible complaints instead of treating them as isolated incidents.
The wider question is whether lessons from Shakahola will translate into practical improvements in how Kenya monitors potentially harmful activities and protects people living in isolated communities.
Religious Freedom and the Danger of Manipulation
Kenya is a deeply religious society, with churches, mosques and other faith communities playing important roles in social life.
Religious institutions provide spiritual guidance, charitable support, community networks and assistance to people facing hardship. Millions of Kenyans rely on faith communities for encouragement and a sense of belonging.
The Shakahola tragedy has nevertheless demonstrated the importance of accountability within religious leadership.
The danger arises when followers are encouraged to surrender independent judgment, cut themselves off from relatives, reject essential medical care or obey instructions that threaten their lives.
Manipulation can become particularly dangerous when a leader presents personal instructions as unquestionable divine commands. Followers may fear that questioning the leader could jeopardise their spiritual standing or separate them from their community.
In an isolated setting, such pressures can make it difficult for individuals to seek assistance or leave the group.
The lessons from Shakahola should not be used to stigmatise all unconventional religious groups or imply that religious devotion is inherently dangerous. Rather, the focus should remain on identifiable behaviours that threaten people’s safety and rights.
Religious leaders have a responsibility to act ethically, protect vulnerable members and ensure that spiritual guidance does not become a justification for abuse.
Families and communities also have a role in maintaining communication with relatives who join religious movements. Concern should be approached carefully, particularly when a person appears increasingly isolated or refuses essential assistance because of a leader’s instructions.
Where there is credible evidence of abuse, coercion or immediate danger, the appropriate authorities should be contacted.
The broader lesson is that freedom of belief must coexist with respect for human life and the protection of vulnerable people.
Other Shakahola Cases Remain Before the Courts
Although the murder conviction represents a major development, it does not conclude every legal proceeding linked to the tragedy.
Mackenzie has faced separate charges involving other deaths, alleged radicalisation, terrorism-related offences and child abuse. Prosecutors have also investigated deaths connected to Kwa Binzaro, a separate location in Kilifi County.
Reports have indicated that investigators linked Mackenzie to allegations involving 52 additional deaths at Kwa Binzaro. He has denied the charges in that separate case.
These allegations must be distinguished from the 191 murder counts covered by the October 19 judgment. Each separate case requires its own legal process and findings.
The existence of additional proceedings reflects the wider scope of the investigations and the difficulties authorities face in establishing what happened to all those connected to the movement.
For families still seeking information about missing relatives, the legal process remains deeply personal. Court proceedings can provide accountability, but they may not immediately answer every question about where a loved one died, who was responsible or what happened in the final days of their life.
The remaining investigations will be important in determining the full extent of the events associated with Shakahola and whether other individuals bear criminal responsibility.
The cases will also continue to test the ability of the justice system to handle complex investigations involving large numbers of victims, multiple accused persons and extensive forensic evidence.
The Lasting Legacy of Shakahola
The rise and fall of Paul Mackenzie has become more than the story of one preacher. It is a warning about the consequences of unchecked authority, the vulnerability of isolated communities and the importance of protecting children and other people who depend on others for their survival.
From his early days as a hawker to the establishment of Good News International Church, Mackenzie built a religious following that eventually became associated with extreme teachings and a deadly fasting regime.
The discovery of the mass graves in 2023 exposed the devastating consequences of the events in Shakahola. The subsequent investigations and murder trial brought evidence before the courts and examined the responsibilities of those accused of participating in the system.
The October 2026 conviction marks a significant moment in the pursuit of accountability for the 191 deaths covered by the judgment. The sentencing process and any appeals will determine the next stages of the legal proceedings, while separate cases continue to address other allegations linked to the tragedy.
For Kenya, the challenge now extends beyond the courtroom. Authorities must examine the warning signs that preceded the deaths and strengthen systems that protect people from coercion, abuse and dangerous practices.
Religious institutions must also continue to emphasise ethical leadership, respect for life and the protection of children. Families and communities need accessible ways to report concerns, while government agencies must respond to credible warnings with appropriate urgency.
The tragedy has also shown why education, healthcare and access to independent information are essential safeguards. When people are cut off from these resources, they may become more vulnerable to manipulation and less able to recognise danger.
Ultimately, the Shakahola story is a reminder that spiritual authority carries responsibility. No leader should be above the law, and no religious interpretation should be used to justify the unlawful taking of human life.
As the country continues to confront the consequences of one of its most disturbing tragedies, the most important measure of its response will be whether the lessons learned help prevent another Shakahola and protect future generations from similar harm.
