Authorities exhumed 12 more bodies on Monday, July 17, raising the death toll to over 400 in connection with the doomsday cult led by Pastor Paul Mackenzie in Kenya.
Pastor Mackenzie, the purported orchestrator of the Good News International Church, is presently under police detention alongside 36 other individuals under suspicion. Despite Mackenzie’s denial of commanding his followers to fast to the point of death, several media outlets have reported his harrowing directives.
Anguished family members have given statements, indicating that Mackenzie instructed his followers to abstain from food in preparation for the Apocalypse on April 15. Stephen Mwiti, whose wife and six offspring were part of the cult, voiced his worries, alleging that Mackenzie had vowed to be the last survivor and to secure the doors. Despite Mackenzie’s assertions of having shut down the church four years ago, the cult was reportedly operating in a wooded area in Malindi, Kenya.
The Coast District Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha verified that the death toll now amounts to 403, with 253 bodies subjected to DNA tests.
While the Kenyan Red Cross has managed to rescue 95 individuals, they stated that 613 people remain unaccounted for. Despite the ongoing discovery of mass graves by authorities, none of the detained suspects have been charged as of now.
Mackenzie, under arrest since April 14, has embarked on a self-imposed starvation, rejecting sustenance and hydration. Another detained suspect and presumed cult member, Joseph Juma Buyuka, reportedly passed away in police custody after engaging in a similar fasting practice.
Previous church members revealed that fasting was a core component of Mackenzie’s teachings, which largely revolved around doomsday themes. BBC News reported that his lectures discussing such themes were accessible online, which contradicts Mackenzie’s assertions about the church’s closure. Although no concrete evidence has yet emerged suggesting that Mackenzie explicitly ordered his followers to fast until death, the online content suggests life sacrifices. Mackenzie had previously been apprehended in connection with missing children but was subsequently released on bail.
In the face of the government’s inability to preempt these deaths, Kenyan President William Ruto conveyed his regrets and pledged a comprehensive investigation to attribute responsibility. President Ruto assured the public that all relevant agencies will participate in the investigation.