NAIROBI, KENYA – Kenyan preacher Paul Mackenzie has been convicted of murdering 191 people, including 190 children, in one of the most disturbing cases of religious exploitation and mass deaths in modern African history.

The conviction, delivered on Monday, 19 October, follows investigations into a religious movement whose followers were instructed to starve themselves and their children in preparation for what they were told would be an encounter with Jesus Christ.

Mackenzie, the leader of the Good News International Church, was convicted alongside other defendants in proceedings arising from the discovery of mass graves in Kenya’s coastal Kilifi County.

The court found that the deaths were linked to an organised system of enforced fasting, religious manipulation and coercion.

Hundreds of bodies discovered in forest

The case first attracted international attention in April 2023 when investigators began uncovering bodies buried in shallow graves in the Shakahola Forest area.

More than 400 bodies were eventually recovered.

Many of the victims were children.

Investigators discovered that followers had been encouraged to reject food, medical treatment and ordinary social institutions as part of Mackenzie’s apocalyptic teachings.

Evidence presented during the proceedings described a system in which followers were isolated and subjected to pressure to continue fasting.

Some who attempted to resist the instructions were allegedly prevented from leaving or obtaining food.

The prosecution argued that the deaths were not simply the result of voluntary religious fasting but of organised criminal conduct.

Court holds preacher accountable

Mackenzie denied forcing followers to starve and rejected the criminal allegations against him.

However, the court accepted evidence establishing criminal responsibility for the deaths covered by the murder charges.

The judgment represents a significant development in a case that has raised questions about the limits of religious authority and the responsibility of the State to protect vulnerable people.

The conviction also brings renewed attention to the experiences of surviving relatives, many of whom have spent years seeking answers about missing family members.

Questions over government failures

The scale of the tragedy has prompted scrutiny of Kenyan authorities.

Mackenzie had previously attracted the attention of law-enforcement officials over concerns about his teachings and the welfare of children associated with his movement.

Despite those warnings, his activities continued.

Kenyan President William Ruto has acknowledged failures by state institutions to prevent the tragedy.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has also criticised weaknesses in law enforcement and oversight.

The case raises broader questions about how authorities should respond when religious organisations are suspected of exploiting followers, isolating children or preventing access to medical care.

Sentencing scheduled for November

The court is expected to hear mitigation submissions on 30 October, with sentencing scheduled for 6 November 2026.

Mackenzie also faces separate proceedings arising from other alleged offences and deaths.

Those matters must be distinguished from the convictions already secured.

For the families of the victims, the judgment marks a major step towards accountability after years of investigations, exhumations and court proceedings.

The tragedy has also become a warning about the devastating consequences of coercive religious practices when vulnerable people are deprived of basic protections.

The convictions concern 191 murders, while the broader investigation has uncovered more than 400 bodies. These figures represent different aspects of the case and should not be treated as interchangeable.

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