Gov’t Shuts TV Stations Owned by Pastors Mackenzie and Ezekiel for Airing Exorcism Content

The Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) has suspended two TV stations owned by embattled televangelists Paul Mackenzie and Ezekiel Odero.

CA Director General Ezra Chiloba accused World Evangelism TV and Times TV of violating broadcasting standards by airing inappropriate content on exorcism during the watershed period.

“The Authority has further directed the broadcast signal distributor, Pan African Network Group (PANG) Limited, to cease carrying the two stations on its platform until further notice,” Chiloba said on Friday.

World Evangelism TV is accused of violating 12 other broadcasting regulations, while Times TV is accused of breaking 17 other licensing conditions.

Mackenzie and Ezekiel are currently in police custody over allegations of mass killing of their followers, who are said to have fast to death on the preachers’ instructions.

The two are linked to the Shakahola massacre in which 109 bodies have so far been exhumed from mass graves on 800-acre land in Kilifi County believed to be owned by Mackenzie, who heads Good News International Church.

Mackenzie is accused of manipulating his followers to fast to death in order to meet Jesus before burying them in shallow graves spread across his Shakahola land.

Ezekiel, who leads New Life Prayer Centre and Church, is being investigated for several offenses including fraud, money laundering, murder, aiding suicide, radicalization, crimes against humanity, and child cruelty.

Detectives handling the case say credible intelligence reveals that some of the deceased individuals who died at Pastor Ezekiel’s church in Mavueni may have been buried at the Shakahola land.