Neno Evangelism Centre founder Apostle James Maina Ng’ang’a has weighed in on the landmark sentencing of Good News International Church founder Paul Mackenzie, calling out the convicted cult leader during a live sermon.
High Court Judge Diana Kavedza-Mochache handed Mackenzie a 200-year prison sentence on 6 November 2026, following his conviction on 191 counts of murder.
The case centred on children and one adult who died in Shakahola Forest after Mackenzie allegedly convinced his followers to starve themselves and their children to death as a path to meeting Jesus.
The sentence was structured as two consecutive 100-year terms covering deaths attributed to both starvation and direct violence.
Twenty-eight co-accused individuals also received sentences ranging from 10 to 160 years. More than 400 bodies were exhumed from the forest in total.
How did Pastor Ng’ang’a react to Mackenzie’s sentencing?
Reacting to the verdict from the pulpit, Ng’ang’a did not hold back, expressing that even the death penalty might have been more appropriate.
“I heard that Mackenzie was sentenced to 200 years, haha. The judge should have considered the death penalty and she could have been done with that. Someone who tells people to fast but does not fast himself… Isn’t that using the name of Jesus? Did Jesus say people should fast and die to go to heaven?”
The preacher criticised Mackenzie for allegedly directing his congregation to do what he himself was unwilling to practise, calling it a betrayal of Christian teaching.
In a moment that caught many by surprise, Ng’ang’a drew a comparison between himself and Mackenzie.
The 73-year-old pastor has previously spoken publicly about spending roughly 20 years in prison between 1972 and 1992, serving time at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison, Naivasha Maximum Prison and Shimo la Tewa Prison following convictions that reportedly included armed robbery, illegal firearm possession and assault.
He has said he converted to Christianity at Shimo la Tewa around 1989 before being released in 1992 and eventually founding Neno Evangelism Centre in Nairobi.
“I am not Mackenzie; I am the chief general. I don’t know how many years I would be sentenced to, but even if you wanted to sentence me to such a term, I am 73. I would just be at home because I would still be ministering to the inmates. They would even wonder whether I am aware that I am in prison,” he said.
He closed his remarks with a pointed warning directed at false prophets, delivering what amounted to a sermon-within-a-sermon.
“You will reap what you sow. Liars should stop lying. I do not support drama and false prophets,” Ng’ang’a said.
Mackenzie still faces additional separate cases related to the Shakahola tragedy.
