Shakahola Massacre: Bodies of Eight Children Exhumed, Death Toll Hits 98

The death toll at a ranch in Kilifi County that is owned by Pastor Paul Mackenzie who is accused of leading a religious cult and ordering his followers to fast to death has climbed to 98.

The new figure came after police exhumed eight bodies of children on Wednesday, the sixth day of the exhumation exercise.

The total number of those rescued while starving at the ranch stands at 34 while the Kenya Red Cross Society’s latest figure of people reported missing is 213.

Makenzi, who heads the Good News International Church, is said to have instructed his followers to fast to death in order to meet Jesus before burying them in shallow graves spread across his 800-acre land in Shakahola, Kilifi County.

The preacher remains in police custody as investigations and exhumation of victims’ bodies continue, with Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki indicating that he could be charged with terrorism and genocide. 

Kindiki, who toured the site on Tuesday, said the security team will upscale search and rescue missions to save as many lives as possible.

The cabinet secretary declared the entire Chakama Ranch where the Shakahola forest is located a disturbed area and an operation zone.

He pointed out that the area is an active security operation zone and no member of the public will be allowed no access to it “except as may be permitted by the operation Commander and/or until these orders are vacated.”

Kindiki further declared a 30-day dusk-to-dawn curfew in the area which will run from 1800hrs in the evening up to and until 0600hrs daily.

To hold any gathering within the 20,418 hectares, one would need to obtain a written order from authorities.

“The government admits this should not have happened. We have opened a formal inquiry on another religious organization based in Kilifi County. We are getting leads that perhaps what was being done at Mackenzie’s was just the tip of the iceberg. The net has been cast wider to all other associates and collaborators of Mackenzie’s evil,” Kindiki noted.