The Cult Dossier · No. 104 · Apocalyptic / Doomsday

Good News International Ministries

the Shakahola Forest Massacre

2003 – 2023 · Malindi and the Shakahola Forest, Kilifi County, Kenya

XI. THERAPY, POLITICS AND THE SMALL GROUPS

Fully religious — Kenyan evangelical apocalyptic sect

Who led it

PAUL NTHENGE MACKENZIE (b. c.1972), a former taxi driver turned television preacher who ran the Times TV channel.

What it worshipped and taught

An extreme separatist Christianity. Mackenzie taught that education is satanic, that hospitals and modern medicine are of the devil, that identity documents bear the mark of the beast, and finally that the only path to meet Jesus before the imminent end was to FAST TO DEATH — starting with children, then women, then men. Followers sold their property and moved to an 800-acre plot in the Shakahola forest, divided into villages named Nazareth, Bethlehem, Judea and Gethsemane. Those who tried to stop fasting were reportedly strangled or suffocated.

Who was in it

Paul Nthenge Mackenzie; his wife Rhoda Maweu; Ezekiel Odero, a linked televangelist; the Kenyan Directorate of Criminal Investigations; the Senate committee; the survivors and the more than 600 people still reported missing.

How it ended, or where it stands

ONE CONVICTION SO FAR, ON A GUILTY PLEA, AND NO VERDICT ON THE REST. Mackenzie and his co-accused were placed on their defence in April 2026; judgment was expected in September 2026.

The dead

AT LEAST 440 RECOVERED, more than half of them children; over 600 more reported missing

Of note

The deadliest cult event of the 21st century to date, and it happened in 2023. Two things stand out: the Kenyan state had arrested Mackenzie repeatedly over six years and released him every time, and the international coverage was a fraction of what a comparable event in North America or Europe would have received.

Its timeline

2003 Mackenzie founds the church in Malindi.
2017–2019 Repeatedly arrested over teachings against education and against identity cards; released each time without meaningful consequence.
2019 Closes his church and moves followers to the Shakahola forest.
2021–2023 Members begin the terminal fast.
14 APRIL 2023 Police rescue emaciated people from the forest after a tip-off; Mackenzie surrenders.
21 April 2023 onward EXHUMATIONS BEGIN. By the end of 2023, 429 BODIES have been recovered; the toll later rises past 440. Autopsies find starvation as the leading cause, but also strangulation, suffocation and blunt force injuries. MORE THAN HALF THE DEAD ARE CHILDREN.
MAY 2023 THE ORGAN-HARVESTING CLAIM, WHICH THIS FILE PREVIOUSLY STATED AS FACT AND NOW DOES NOT. A police affidavit of 9 MAY said post-mortems had found organs missing from some exhumed bodies and alleged a well-coordinated trade. THREE DAYS EARLIER THE CHIEF GOVERNMENT PATHOLOGIST, JOHANSEN ODUOR, HAD SAID THE FIRST 112 AUTOPSIES FOUND ALL INTERNAL ORGANS INTACT, and the Interior Cabinet Secretary then dismissed the police report. THE TWO ACCOUNTS ARE BOTH ON THE RECORD AND THIS FILE DOES NOT PICK ONE.
2024 Mackenzie and 94 others charged; in January 2025 he and 29 others are charged with the MURDER of 191 children. Separate terrorism and child cruelty charges proceed.
16 JANUARY 2026 A CO-ACCUSED IS CONVICTED ON HIS OWN PLEA. ENOS AMANYA, known as HALLELUJAH, a grave digger who provided security in the forest, PLEADS GUILTY TO ALL 191 COUNTS OF MURDER committed between January 2021 and September 2023. Justice Diana Kavedza convicts him, orders a victim impact assessment before sentencing and directs the prison to isolate him for his own safety. IT IS THE FIRST CONVICTION ARISING FROM SHAKAHOLA.
11 February 2026 Mackenzie charged over 52 FURTHER deaths, on top of the existing 191 murder counts.
15 APRIL 2026 Justice Diana Kavedza rules that the prosecution has established a PRIMA FACIE CASE against Mackenzie and all 30 co-accused on 191 counts of murder, and places them on their defence. The prosecution had called 121 witnesses, including survivors, expert witnesses and investigating officers. The judge put it plainly: what remains in issue is NOT WHETHER THE DEATHS OCCURRED, BUT WHETHER THE ACCUSED CAUSED THEM. The defence signalled twelve witnesses, six of them experts.
4 JUNE 2026 A SECOND CASE REACHES THE SAME STAGE. In the separate MANSLAUGHTER case at the Mombasa magistrate's court, Mackenzie and 94 co-accused are found to have a case to answer on 238 COUNTS and put on their defence; defence hearings are set for 17–23 July. Mackenzie says he will call 20 witnesses. Terrorism charges (Shanzu) and child-related charges (Tononoka) run separately.
AS AT 25 SEPTEMBER 2026 JUDGMENT IS EXPECTED THIS MONTH AND HAS NOT BEEN DELIVERED, with the month almost gone. No date has been reported. Kenyan reporting through 2026 has pointed to September for the verdict on the 191 murder counts. NO VERDICT HAS BEEN RETURNED AGAINST MACKENZIE. THIS ROW WILL BE WRONG THE DAY IT LANDS.

Its people

Paul Nthenge Mackenzie

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Founder, Good News International Ministries · born c.1972 · active 2003–2023

A former taxi driver turned television preacher who ran the Times TV channel in Malindi. In 2019 he closed his church and moved followers to an 800-acre plot in the Shakahola forest, divided into villages named Nazareth, Bethlehem, Judea and Gethsemane. He then instructed them to fast to death to meet Jesus — children first, then women, then men. Those who tried to stop were reportedly strangled or suffocated. Kenyan authorities had arrested and released him repeatedly over the preceding six years.

Before the law. ON TRIAL. Placed on his defence April 2026 on 191 counts of murder. NO VERDICT YET.

Where things stand. IN CUSTODY, AND THE VERDICT IS DUE AS THIS STAMP IS WRITTEN. RE-CHECKED 2026-09-07: the murder trial over the deaths of 191 CHILDREN opened in SEPTEMBER 2025; in it JUSTICE DIANA KAVEDZA ruled that Mackenzie and THIRTY CO-ACCUSED had a case to answer, having heard 121 witnesses including post-mortem and government analyst evidence, and put them on their defence. RE-CHECKED AGAIN ON 25 SEPTEMBER 2026: STILL NO JUDGMENT, AND NO DATE REPORTED. Separately, on 4 June 2026 he and 94 others were put on their defence on 238 counts of manslaughter. A co-accused, ENOS AMANYA, pleaded guilty to all 191 murders on 16 JANUARY 2026 and was convicted; Mackenzie has not been. He separately faces charges framed as crimes against humanity. THIS ENTRY WILL BE WRONG WITHIN WEEKS AND SHOULD BE RE-READ BEFORE IT IS QUOTED.

2003 Founds the church in Malindi.
2017–19 Repeatedly arrested over teachings against education and identity cards; released each time.
2019 Moves followers into the Shakahola forest.
14 April 2023 Police rescue emaciated survivors; he surrenders.
21 April 2023 onward Exhumations begin. AT LEAST 440 BODIES recovered; more than half are children.
16 JANUARY 2026 Co-accused ENOS AMANYA pleads guilty to all 191 murders and is convicted; Mackenzie is not.
11 February 2026 Charged over 52 further deaths.
15 APRIL 2026 Justice Diana Kavedza finds a prima facie case against him and 30 co-accused on 191 murder counts after 121 prosecution witnesses; all placed on their defence.

Checked 2026-09-16 · living: health details are kept at home

Justice Diana Kavedza

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Kenyan High Court judge presiding over the Shakahola murder trial · — · active 2023–present

Presiding over the largest cult-related murder prosecution in African history — Paul Mackenzie and 30 co-accused on 191 counts of murder. On 15 April 2026, after the prosecution had called 121 witnesses including survivors, forensic experts and investigating officers, she ruled that a prima facie case had been established against all 31 and placed them on their defence. Her formulation of the remaining question is unusually precise: what is in issue is not whether the deaths occurred, but whether these accused caused them. No verdict has yet been returned.

Before the law. Judge. Proceedings ongoing.

Where things stand. PRESIDING, AND THE JUDGMENT IS IMMINENT. RE-CHECKED 2026-09-07: she found that Mackenzie and thirty co-accused had a case to answer after hearing 121 witnesses, and put them on their defence; judgment in the deaths of 191 children is expected in SEPTEMBER 2026. THIS IS A LIVE TRIAL AND THE ENTRY SHOULD BE RE-READ BEFORE IT IS RELIED ON.

2023 Mackenzie and others charged following the Shakahola exhumations.
2024–26 The prosecution calls 121 witnesses.
11 February 2026 Mackenzie charged over 52 further deaths.
15 APRIL 2026 Rules that a prima facie case is established against all 31 accused on 191 murder counts; places them on their defence.
Ongoing The defence case proceeds; NO VERDICT.

Checked 2026-09-07 · living: health details are kept at home

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