Second Lady Pastor Dorcas Rigathi has weighed in on the Shakahola cult investigation, which has enraged many Kenyans, stating its controversial speaker Paul Mackenzie is nothing more than a criminal, not a man of God as he depicts himself to be.

Speaking at a church in Nairobi during a feeding program for widows, Pastor Dorcas advised the public not to generalize Mackenzie's offence but to deal with him on a human basis.

The Second Lady emphasized that the law should treat the culprit as an individual rather than the entire church community, Christianity, or his family.

Mrs Gachagua believes that if Paul Mackenzie is a criminal, he should be dealt with as such. His family should not be complicit in his wrongdoing. Mr Paul Mackenzie is not the church, and he has stated that he is not a pastor but Mr Paul.

PHOTO | COURTESY Dorcas Gachagua

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We have a law that says if someone is a criminal, the system should be followed, but we can't stand there and say that because one Christian was caught in a compromising circumstance, the entire body of Christ should be punished; no, we have to stop doing that because it's not right.

She repeated that when a rogue leader violates the law, they should bear responsibility regardless of their societal position. The law should be applied, and he (Mackenzie) should be imprisoned if proven guilty.

As a result, Pastor Dorcas warned citizens against generalizing crimes with religious groupings, stating that the character of an extremist should not be interpreted as the overall behaviour of others in the same religious group.

A criminal is a criminal, a terrorist is a terrorist, and a murderer is a murderer, she said. Let them go through the legal system and be prosecuted, and if they are found guilty, let them be imprisoned.

"We cannot generalize acts of criminalism; there are billions of Christians worldwide, we cannot now say that all Christians are killers or terrorists. Likewise, just like you hear a Muslim extremist has come up and he is a terrorist, you cannot generalize and say all Muslims are terrorists."

The words by Deputy President Rigathi's Spouse come as the government has called other religious leaders to account for their beliefs.

On Thursday morning, controversial Pastor Ezekiel Odero of the New Life Prayer Centre and Church in Mavueni, Kilifi County, was also detained for his preaching and links to Mackenzie.