By Tajeu Shadrack Nkapapa
In the ongoing hearing of the Shakahola massacre at the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Mombasa, a protected witness has shed light on the chilling influence of Paul Mackenzie, who used biblical verses like Colossians 2:8, Ecclesiastes 12:12, 1 Timothy 6:20, and Jacob 3:15 to persuade young children to abandon their education.
The witness, who transitioned from Islam to Christianity influenced by his father, a devoted follower of Mackenzie, departed from school in 2020, deeply inspired by Mackenzie’s doctrines.
He painted a vivid picture of his father’s transformation from an alcoholic to a devout follower, glued to Mackenzie’s sermons on Times TV in 2019, eventually drawing the entire family into the fold.
The witness narrated that by August 2019, the family had become regular attendees of the Good News International Church in Makongeni, Nairobi, where the witness was baptized and given a Christian name.
According to the DCI the witnesses recounted how Mackenzie, with the aid of George Mwaura, delivered powerful sermons that left a lasting impact.
“The witness narrated how his mother closed her salon after Mackenzie preached against women braiding their hair or using beauty products. Furthermore, when the Kenyan government launched the Huduma Number registration, Mackenzie warned his followers against it, claiming the microchip in the Huduma Card was the “mark of the beast” as foretold in Revelations 16-18,” noted the DCI.
“In April 2022, my father sold our household items, including our television and bed, and we journeyed to Mackenzie’s church in the Furunzi area of Malindi. There, a church member welcomed us and escorted us to Shakahola,” the witness recounted.
“Upon our arrival in Shakahola, we were allocated a plot of land by one of Mackenzie’s assistants. My days were spent hunting, sleeping, or reading the Bible. However, Mackenzie later declared that it was time to be guided by the Holy Spirit instead of the Bible. He instructed us to fast and pray in solitude, awaiting Jesus’ return to take us to Heaven,” the witness’s statement read, echoing the harrowing experiences shared by previous witnesses.
The witness, feeling overwhelmed by the fasting, recounted his courageous flight through thick forests to avoid the sentries of Mackenzie.He ultimately arrived at Shakahola Madukani, where he spent three nights sleeping beneath the stars.The witness said that a kind-hearted Samaritan then offered him a job at a hardware store, where he worked for several months.
“The witness was eventually rescued by a children’s officer and taken to Malindi Children Centre for care and protection,” stated
The witness concluded his testimony by expressing uncertainty about his father’s fate, who remained in Shakahola and had been recruited by Mackenzie as a gravedigger.The hearing is set to continue on September 12, 2024.