A nightmare scenario is playing out in Kenya as authorities continue to retrieve dozens of bodies of victims of a religious cult. The horrific scene is playing out in the aftermath of a fringe pastor who ordered his followers to starve themselves. As the death toll topped 100 Thursday evening, authorities said they fear the number may be even higher.
The gruesome scene is playing out near the coastal city of Malindi, where authorities continue to search the ranch of Pastor Paul Mackenzie Nthenge, known as Pastor Mackenzie, the founder of the Good News International church. Mackenzie was arrested this month after an anonymous tip reported people starving at the church’s site outside Malindi. Mackenzie, who allegedly ordered his followers to stop eating, remains in custody.
Authorities began unearthing bodies buried in shallow graves as well as tending to live members of the church, some of whom were still following the pastor’s orders and refusing to eat or drink. In addition, many people have been reported missing from the religious sect, indicating the death toll may continue to climb. As of Thursday evening, authorities placed the number of confirmed dead at over 100 with many more missing.
According to those who know him, Mackenzie previously worked as a taxi driver before reportedly founding his church. Over time, he imposed rules on his followers, such as ordering women to cut their hair and not wear makeup and pulling children out of school. Since founding the church in 2003, Mackenzie has had several run-ins with the law. In 2017 he was arrested for commanding followers not to send their children to school. Earlier this year, authorities took him into custody after two children within his following died of starvation. The mass deaths on his property reportedly result from the pastor telling his followers to stop eating to “meet Jesus,” according to reports to authorities.
Kenyan President William Ruto discussed the cult during a speech at a graduation ceremony, comparing the pastor’s actions to the work of terrorists and vowing to address religious extremism.
“Terrorists use religion to promote their heinous acts,” Ruto said. “People like Mr. Mackenzie use religion to do exactly the same thing.”
Ruto’s reaction to the danger of extremism might be even more warranted than he realized.
On Thursday, Kenyan authorities announced a different religious leader, Ezekiel Odero of the New Life Prayer Centre and Church, had been arrested after another mass death incident. So far, there is no news on whether the two cases are related. However, with the death toll in Malindi climbing and word of this second mass casualty event, Kenya seems poised to crack down on religious extremism.
