Pastor Mackenzie’s Cult: Seven Bodies Exhumed as Detectives Identify 58 Shallow Graves

Forensic detectives on Friday exhumed the bodies of seven people believed to be Pastor Paul Mackenzie’s followers who fast to death in an attempt to ‘meet God.’

The bodies, including those of two children, had been buried in shallow graves in Shakahola area of Malindi, Kilifi County and were only wrapped in pieces of cloth, according to police.

They were placed in body bags and transferred to Malindi Hospital for autopsy as investigations into Pastor Mackenzie’s alleged cult continue.

The exhumation came after police obtained court orders to exhume 14 bodies of people who are believed to have died after starving for days on instructions of the controversial preacher. The exercise is expected to continue on Saturday.

On Wednesday, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) began mapping an 800-acre parcel of land in Shakahola that is believed to be owned by Pastor Mackenzie and have so far identified at least 58 graves.

Even though Mackenzie’s Good News International Church was shut down in 2019, the preacher has continued to attract the masses through his preaching of the ‘end times and fasting to go to heaven.’

Malindi Chief Magistrate Elizabeth Usui on Monday ordered the detention of Pastor Mackenzie for 14 days pending investigations into the deaths of his followers. He is yet to be charged officially.

Mackenzie is said to have named the Shakahola villages with names from the Bible, according to area residents. The place where he built his house is called ‘Galilee’.

The whole 800-acre parcel of land is referred to as the ‘Holy Land’ and has villages like Bethany, Galilee, Sidon, and others. Where the seven bodies were retrieved on Friday is known as ‘Sidon.’

“What I witnessed today is just demonic. How do you explain bodies wrapped only in lesos, shallow graves and mass graves? That is just like a massacre,” said Haki Africa Rapid Response Officer Mathias Shipeta, who was present during the exhumation exercise.