Mackenzie’s Deadly Prophecy: Followers Told They Would Join Him and Jesus After Fasting
A Mombasa court on Tuesday heard chilling testimony in the ongoing trial of Paul Mackenzie, the alleged orchestrator of the Shakahola massacre, where hundreds of his followers reportedly fasted to death under his direction
A male minor, testifying under the protection of the Witness Protection Agency, revealed that Mackenzie promised his followers divine rewards, including a miraculous flight to heaven.
The witness recounted how Mackenzie instructed his followers to fast in a specific order: children first, followed by the youth, women, and finally the men. Mackenzie claimed that he would be the last to fast and, upon death, would grow wings and ascend to heaven, where he would meet them alongside Jesus.
The boy revealed that his mother, initially influenced by Mackenzie’s teachings in Eldoret, left their family and relocated to Kitale, and later to Shakahola, seeking to follow Mackenzie more closely. He testified that once in Shakahola, a meeting was convened where Mackenzie issued his final fasting command.
Despite enduring the severe conditions at Shakahola, the boy escaped twice, each time seeking food from neighbors after fasting for three days. However, he was forcibly returned by Mackenzie’s followers, including his own mother, and punished for defying the fasting order.
Mackenzie, along with 95 co-accused, faces multiple charges, including terrorism, child cruelty, radicalization, murder, and violations of Kenya’s Basic Education Act. During Monday’s proceedings, two of the accused were dropped from the case after they passed away while receiving medical treatment.
The trial continues to unfold, shedding light on the horrific events surrounding Mackenzie’s radical religious movement and the tragic loss of life at Shakahola.
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Mackenzie’s Deadly Prophecy: Followers Told They Would Join Him and Jesus After Fasting
