A witness testified in a Mombasa court on Tuesday, detailing how Paul Mackenzie, the suspected mastermind behind the Shakahola massacre, persuaded his followers to fast to death. Mackenzie promised them that he would be the last to fast, grow wings, and fly to heaven to meet them with Jesus.
The testimony, given by a male minor under the Witness Protection Agency, was heard at the Mombasa Law Courts, presided over by Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku, during the ongoing trial of Mackenzie and 95 others.
The witness recounted how his mother discovered Mackenzie’s teachings while the family lived in Eldoret, leading to a conflict with his father that eventually caused the family to split. He and his mother then moved to Kitale, where she continued following Mackenzie’s teachings. Eventually, she decided to meet Mackenzie in person and traveled with the witness to Malindi and then Shakahola.
According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the witness told the court, “Once at Shakahola, Paul Mackenzie called a meeting where many people attended and issued an order that they are supposed to fast and be ready to go to Jesus.”
The witness further revealed that Mackenzie instructed that children should fast first, followed by the youth, then women, and finally men. Mackenzie declared, “I will be the last person to fast and will eventually grow wings and fly to heaven to meet you with Jesus.”
The witness described escaping twice from the harsh conditions after fasting for three days, seeking food from neighbors. However, each time, Mackenzie’s followers, including his own mother, brought him back to Shakahola, where he was punished for refusing to continue fasting.
Mackenzie and 95 co-accused face multiple charges, including terrorism, child cruelty, radicalization, murder, and violating the Basic Education Act. On Monday, Magistrate Ithuku dropped charges against two co-accused following their deaths while undergoing treatment.
“Mary Mbita, the 57th accused, died in June while receiving treatment at Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, while Edison Safari, also known as Baba Sifa and the 27th accused, passed away on August 19, 2024, at Shimo la Tewa Health Facility,” the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) confirmed in a statement.
