Kenya: Relatives welcome guilty verdict in Shakahola starvation cult massacre

Families of victims of Kenya’s Shakahola cult massacre have welcomed the conviction of preacher Paul Mackenzie and 28 others over the deaths of 191 people, including 190 children.

A court in Mombasa delivered the verdict on Monday in one of Kenya’s deadliest cult-related cases. The defence says it will appeal.

For Francis Wanje, who lost eight family members, including his daughter and two grandchildren, the ruling brings a measure of justice after years of waiting.

“I am happy. It's something that I did not expect because first the case has taken so long,” he said, expressing surprise that the court had delivered a guilty verdict after proceedings that began in 2023.

Wanje said the ruling had restored his belief that justice was possible, even as he continues to live with the loss of his family.

Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Renson Ingonga, also welcomed the decision, describing the convictions as a significant achievement given the scale and complexity of the case.

“The court has pronounced itself, to us that is the best judgment we'd ever get at the moment,” Ingonga said. “Getting a conviction of such a case of many counts, 191 counts, multiple accused persons and several number of witnesses, it's not something that comes that easily.”

But the defence has rejected the outcome. Lawrence Obonyo, Mackenzie’s lawyer, said his clients were surprised and disappointed, arguing that the judge had not properly considered the evidence presented in court.

“We have so much faith that when we appeal, because I've been given instructions to appeal against this one, we have so much confidence that the verdict will be overturned,” Obonyo said.

The court found that Mackenzie and his associates participated in an organised system of religious radicalisation and enforced fasting that led to the deaths. Prosecutors said followers were urged to starve themselves to “meet Jesus”, with children allegedly expected to die first. The judge rejected the defence argument that victims had voluntarily fasted to death.

The case came to light in April 2023, when authorities began uncovering shallow mass graves in Shakahola Forest. More than 400 bodies have since been recovered, although many victims remain unidentified. Monday’s ruling covered 191 murder counts; other deaths are the subject of separate proceedings.

The massacre prompted widespread criticism of the authorities’ handling of religious groups and renewed calls for stronger oversight, after Mackenzie had previously been arrested and released.

On Tuesday, Ingonga again praised the prosecution team, investigators and judiciary for securing the convictions. Mackenzie and his co-accused are expected to be sentenced on November 6, while the defence prepares its appeal.

For bereaved families, the verdict marks a major legal milestone — but it cannot bring back the children and relatives they lost.