Amason Kingi, the speaker of the Senate, has demanded that those guilty of the Shakahola cult in Kilifi County, which has claimed the lives of 67 people, get harsh punishment. According to Kingi, the killings should serve as a warning to the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the community policing program to be more watchful.
"How did such a heinous crime, organized and executed over a considerable period of time, escape the radar of our intelligence system? How did evil of such an astounding magnitude take place without being detected? How did this 'pastor' gather so many people, indoctrinated, brainwashed, and starved them to death in the name of religion and then buried them in a forest without being detected?" he posed.
On Monday, 26 bodies were exhumed, bringing the death toll in the Shakahola woodland atrocity linked to notorious Pastor Paul Makenzi to 73.
Did you read this?
Six people and a baby boy were exhumed from a small grave on their legs. Martin Nyaguto, the homicide chief, stated that some children appeared to have been choked to death.
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has said that the unfolding horror that is the Shakahola cult deaths should and must be a wake up call to the nation, more particularly the National Intelligence Service and our community policing programme. https://t.co/InpK4PEtIh
— The Standard Digital (@StandardKenya) April 25, 2023
Nyaguto said that It appears that some of the children died from suffocation before being buried, adding that The autopsy will reveal more information.
As additional gruesome details of the faithful who starved to death emerged, President William Ruto called Makenzi's teachings terrorism and said he should be imprisoned.
"Mr. Mackenzie, who poses as a pastor, is a heinous crime." Terrorists exploit religion to justify their horrible crimes. "People like Makenzi are doing the same thing with religion," he remarked.
During the Kenya Cadets passing out ceremony at a prison service in Ruiru, Kiambu county, Ruto urged security authorities to take action against religious leaders who manipulate people through their faith.
He compared these individuals, like Makenzi, to terrorists who exploit religion to justify their heinous acts, stating that they are not true representatives of any religion and should be treated as criminals. Ruto emphasized that they belong behind bars and called for appropriate action to be taken against them.
