MOMBASA, KENYA — Kenyan preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie has been sentenced to 200 years in prison for his role in the deaths of 191 people, including 190 children, in one of the country’s deadliest religious cult tragedies.
The High Court in Mombasa delivered the sentence on Friday, November 6, 2026, following Mackenzie’s conviction on 191 counts of murder linked to the Shakahola Forest massacre in Kilifi County.
Justice Diana Kavedza Mochache handed Mackenzie two consecutive 100-year prison terms, one relating to deaths caused by starvation and another covering victims who died through direct homicide.
Mackenzie, founder of Good News International Church, was accused of manipulating his followers into believing that starving themselves and their children would enable them to meet Jesus and enter heaven.
The court found that he directed an organised system of extreme fasting in which children were targeted first, followed by young people, women and men. Those who resisted were subjected to intimidation and violence.
The case came to light in 2023 after police began uncovering bodies in shallow graves in Shakahola Forest. More than 400 bodies have since been recovered from the wider tragedy, prompting investigations into religious extremism and failures by authorities to intervene despite earlier warnings.
Mackenzie was convicted alongside 28 associates on October 19, 2026. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty for him, citing the scale of the killings and the suffering inflicted on victims.
The sentencing comes at a time when Uganda’s businessman and social commentator Frank Gashumba’s challenge to pastors and self-proclaimed prophets over claims of miraculous healing and called for review on the operations of some religious institutions that have become cults.
The Kenyan case also opens up more queries to the responsibility of governments in protecting citizens from religious exploitation while safeguarding freedom of worship.
For Uganda, where churches play a significant role in community life, education and social services, the tragedy offers a stark reminder that religious influence must not be used to endanger lives or shield criminal conduct.
Mackenzie’s 200-year sentence marks a major development in the pursuit of justice for the Shakahola victims and their families.
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