NAIROBI – Paul Mackenzie, a Kenyan cult leader, appeared in court after he allegedly ordered his followers to starve themselves to death. Investigations have revealed that a mass grave in a remote forest in eastern Kenya holds the bodies of 101 members of Mackenzie’s Good News International Church, who had been ordered to kill themselves to reach heaven first. The death toll is expected to rise as more than 400 people are still missing. Most of the victims died from starvation, strangulation or suffocation before the predicted end of the world on April 15. While Mackenzie is facing charges relating to earlier alleged offenses, prosecutors are yet to draw up a charge sheet on the mass graves, where over 400 people are still missing. Mackenzie denied instructing his followers to fast while his two lawyers have declined to make any statements.
This incident adds to an increasing number of extreme religious groups in Kenya, leading to comparisons with terrorist acts. Since February, two religious leaders have been arrested and charged in connection to the deaths of seven children. The country has seen a rise in reports of child neglect and deaths due to extreme religious practices. The government has pledged to address this issue and the tragic incident has increased the calls for greater regulation of such groups.
This event is a tragic reminder that anyone can be influenced by religious extremism, and regulation should be considered to prevent the spread of dangerous ideologies in the name of religion. The Kenyan government must make a concerted effort to identify and shut down these harmful activities.
