In Kenya’s Kilifi County, four individuals are believed to have died from severe fasting (starvation) while 11 others were rescued on Thursday, April 13, after police stormed a home in Shakahola village. The four people who passed away, three men and a woman, were members of the contentious Good News International Church of Pastor Paul Mackenzie.
According to reports, Pastor Makenzie Nthenge is believed to have advised his followers in Kilifi’s coastal region to starve themselves in order to enter heaven more quickly and meet Jesus. Police prepared the raid for the next day after receiving a tip about the purported prayer session.
The Police officers investigating the case stated that 15 people were recovered in a very bad state during the raids however, only 11 could make it to the hospital. “We can confirm that four of them died while others are being treated at Malindi Referral Hospital,” said a security source involved in the operation.
The Police also revealed that the accused pastor, identified as Makenzie Nthenge, had brainwashed the victims and had asked them to starve to death in order to meet Jesus.
Since the majority of the deceased lacked both identifying cards and cell phones, their fingerprints were collected for identification. However, those admitted to the hospital have been identified as Allan Obiero (17), Wycliffe Waimoi (43), Mercy Aoko (35) from Kisumu, Paul Karisa from Kilifi and Jane Nyambura (38) and Alfred Shitemi (32) from Vihiga, Felix Wandera (37) from Busia, David Abuhaya (49) from Vihiga, Collins Kabaye (22) from Busia, Monica Masika (36) from Kakamega and an unknown adult female.
This is not the first time individuals have been persuaded to join risky, unmonitored churches or cults in Kenya, a country with a strong religious tradition.
More than ten residents of Kilifi’s Shakahola and Msimba villages suffered significant injuries earlier this month as a result of attacks by neighbours who identified them to be members of the controversial church.
Meanwhile, two weeks after a Malindi court ordered it, the remains of two children who were reportedly starved to death by their parents have still not been unearthed. Reports mention that the absence of a government pathologist is what has caused the delay.
In an interview, Pastor Mackenzie had claimed to have had visions of “Jesus” and that he thought he possesses spiritual prophetic abilities. This, according to him who is the father of seven, is the foundation of his version of Christianity, but he claimed to have ceased preaching in 2019.
