11 Things you didn't know about Shakahola Pastor Mackenzie

The 'Man of God' advised students to drop out of school.

• He was in the past arrested alongside his wife for teaching kids radicalization.

He has been arrested for allowing people to fast and die at Shakahola.
Good News International Paul Mackenzie and his wife. He has been arrested for allowing people to fast and die at Shakahola.

The discovery of bodies at Shakahola has shocked many. This is because the man in the middle of it all has been arrested before and released over 'lack of enough' evidence.

Many are of the opinion that these deaths could have been avoided. Paul Mackenzie has been asking his followers to fast to death.

Below are things you did not know about the controversial man.

  • Mackenzie is the founder of Good News International Church.
  • He is married to Joyce Mwikamba.
  • He was a taxi driver before he became a pastor.
  • Mackenzie was taken to Malindi by his sister back in the day.
  • He moved his 'church' to Shakahola in 2022.
  • Mackenzie was charged four times between 1997 and 2003 for his sermons but was acquitted each time due to lack of evidence.
  • Mackenzie's fishy activities were first flagged by Mayungu Children Rescue Centre in 2017.
  • In 2017  about 93 children were rescued from Mackenzie's church. He and some church members were arrested.
  • In October 2018, angry residents in Magarini, Kilifi County demolished one of his churches.
  • In 2019, Mackenzie was arrested for inciting the public against registration for Huduma Namba by likening it to the Number of the Beast.
  • The church purports to be followers of the End Time Message of William Branham: Throughout his healing revivals, Branham was accused of committing fraud by investigative news reporters, fellow ministers, host churches, and governmental agencies.

Numerous people pronounced healed died shortly thereafter, investigators discovered evidence suggesting miracles may have been staged, and Branham was found to have significantly embellished and falsified numerous stories he presented to his audiences as fact.

Branham faced legal problems as a result of his practices. 

14 more bodies were over the weekend retrieved from the graves of people believed to have died as a result of fasting due to cult-like teachings of Malindi controversial pastor Paul Mackenzie in Shakahola Magarini.

This brings to 21 the number of bodies that have been retrieved by the homicide unit, DCI detectives, and other security personnel.

Five bodies, believed to be belonging to one family were found in one grave. In another grave, three bodies were found on top of each other. 

"We found, a man, woman, and three children in one grave," a detective said. In the bodies exhumed, children were more as compared to adults. 

By Friday 58 graves had been identified. A team of about 100 officers led by the Homicide Unit Director together with a pathologist, officers from the DCI, the forensic Department, and regular police are leading the operation.

The public was not allowed at the crime scene and journalists were also given instructions on how to conduct themselves at the scene.

After about two hours of digging, there were indications that there were bodies and carefully one body of a grown-up was found followed by two bodies that had been buried in one grave.

That site was identified on Thursday. Human rights activists from Haki Africa and Malindi Social Justice Center also witnessed the exhuming of the bodies.

Mathias Shipeta of Haki Africa said they are happy with the progress made so far by the security agencies. So far more than 100 people have been reported missing.

Check out the latest news here and you are welcome to join our super exclusive Mpasho Telegram group for all the latest and breaking news in entertainment. We would also like to hear from you, WhatsApp us on +254 736 944935.