𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐳𝐢𝐞 's Church Taught Against Beauty And Education, No Crying During Burials

BY ERIC ABUGA

Two minors identified as AB and EW for protection purpose have shared an emotional testimony of what happened in Shakahola forest. 

AB told the court that he was attending Good News International Church in Makongeni Shauri Moyo in Nairobi. 

He stated that the church taught against beauty and education, as the pastor alleged that education was not the plan of God.

The two were testfying in the murder trial of Pastor Paul Mackenzie and 30 co-accused at the High Court in Mombasa, with the prosecution calling five witnesses before Lady Justice Diana Kavedz including the two minors, forensic expert, a psychiatrist, Mayungu Children Home staff, and a civilian witness.

AB remembers having travelled to Shakahola with his mother and his two siblings recalling that Mackenzie instructed them to fast in order to see God. These teachings were happening in meetings where more than 100 children could attend.

They were told to fast, starting with children, then women, then men, and then Pastor Mackenzie would be the last.

He also gave a chilling testimony of the burial of Shakahola residents. He told the court that the burial of any Mackenzie's followers was referred to as 'Harusi' (wedding). 

"I attended several burials where Mackenzie would praise the departed before final rites. There was no crying in burials but rather happiness, with some claiming that the deceased was a hero."

In one 'wedding', Mackenzie is noted to have said that people would die even if it meant by kicks and blows.

There were teams designated for burials, which included Steve wa Mtwapa, Evans, Morris, and Mzee Paulo who were assigned to conduct the rites.

The witness is said to have feared fasting to death and escaped to Chakama. He was taken back to Shakahola and taken to Mackenzie. Mackenzie gave him the option of remaining in Shakahola or leaving Shakahola. 

Due to fear, the witness agreed to stay but later escaped and was hosted by Pastor, who took him to school. 

He stated that his younger four-year-old brother was left in Jangwani (Shakahola) as he was fasting.

EW, a 15-year-old minor, on the other hand noted that he was watching Good News International teaching on TV broadcast and would attend its Vihiga branch.

He remembers Mackenzie preaching that beauty and education are not good. He also preached against Huduma number registration and immunizations.

He also confirmed to have attended a meeting called by Pastor Mackenzie, happening under 'Mitola' trees, where Mackenzie would instruct them not to share food with the neighbours and to avoid government programs like the Huduma number registration and immunization.

He is said to have fasted for one month with water only. Due to the magnitude of fasting, he escaped and went to stay with a village elder, who treated him as his child. He was later picked up by a children's officer and taken to a children's home.

Chief Inspector Joseph Kolum, a forensic examiner, explained how he subjected mobile devices, computers, laptops, and any other media that store information seized from the accused. 

He told the court he searched for keywords such terms like “𝐽𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑖”, “𝐸𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛/𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑜”, “𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑜”, “𝑓𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔”, “𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒”, “𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑡”, “𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑐𝑦”, “𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖-𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡”, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 “666”.

Kolum told the court that the forensic examination of the mobile phones reviewed the conversation between Pastor Mackenzie and his followers, which indicated, ‘it was end time.

According to the witness, there was also talk of money sent to Pastor Mackenzie by followers to secure land at Shakahola in preparation for the everlasting fast.

There was also a discussion on preparation to move to Shakahola and the need to have all followers heed the pastor’s teachings without further delays. 

According to the witness, in some conversation, Pastor Mackenzie promised to relocate to the wilderness, the idea that attracted his followers to purchase the land in the same location in readiness to fast as they await upon the Lord.

Apart from direct messages and WhatsApp messages, the witness also retrieved videos from mobile devices. He told the court that from the examination of the videos, most of the videos were aimed at inciting Mackenzie's followers around the world not to take children to school, as he believed education was satanic. 

He told the court that according to the video, Mackenzie believed that education is ungodly and needed to seek first the kingdom of God, an act that convinced his followers across the country to withdraw their children from school.

The 41st witness, a manager at Mayungu Children Home, Hellen Mwikali Kimwele, testified that her role involved taking care of children in need of care and protection. She said that she admitted 12 traumatized children from Shakahola in 2023.

She recorded the details of the children, including admission number, date, name, age, and guardian, among others.

She noted that some children had injury marks on their bodies reportedly from beatings as well as body rashes. They alleged to have been beaten in Shakahola. She took the children to the hospital for treatment.

Due to the kind of teaching, they had received in Shakahola, many children were reported to have refused to eat, refused medication, and continuing to fast and pray at the children's home.

Other witnesses who testified included a physiatrist who interviewed the accused persons to assess their mental status to stand trial. According to the witness, from the 31 accused persons they interviewed, only one had symptoms persistent with mental illness.

The other witness included Ms. Ann Kauchu Mwachai, from Malindi, who said that she stopped attending Good News International church after Mackenzie started preaching against hair plaiting, education, and medication.

She narrated how her mother and sibling relocated to Shakahola to farm. The witness visited the sibling at Shakahola for 1 week. She reported that she learned that her mother died after her DNA matched with one of the bodies exhumed from Shakahola.