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On Tuesday, a witness testified in a Mombasa court that Paul Mackenzie, the suspected mastermind behind the Shakahola massacre, assured his followers that he would be the last to fast, eventually grow wings, and fly to heaven to meet them and Jesus.
The testimony was given by a male minor under the Witness Protection Agency during the ongoing trial of Mackenzie and 95 others, overseen by Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku.
The witness described how his mother discovered Mackenzie’s teachings while they were living in Eldoret, which led to a family conflict and their eventual separation.
Following the separation, his mother relocated them to Kitale and continued to follow Mackenzie’s teachings. She later traveled with him to Malindi and then Shakahola to meet the preacher in person.
The witness detailed how Mackenzie convened a meeting at Shakahola, where he instructed attendees to fast with the promise that he would be the last to do so, eventually growing wings and flying to heaven to meet them and Jesus. Mackenzie’s fasting order was structured so that children fasted first, followed by the youth, then women, and finally men.
The witness recounted escaping twice from the harsh conditions to seek food from neighbors after fasting for three days. Each time, he was returned to Shakahola by Mackenzie’s followers, including his own mother, and faced punishment for defying the fasting rules.
Mackenzie and his 95 co-defendants face charges including terrorism, child cruelty, radicalization, murder, and violations of the Basic Education Act.
However, Magistrate Ithuku dismissed charges against two of the co-accused who died while receiving treatment at different hospitals. Mary Mbita, the 57th accused, died in June at Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, and Edison Safari, the 27th accused, passed away on August 19, 2024, at Shimo la Tewa Health Facility.
