The father of a close aide to the controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie has stated that his son should receive a life sentence if he persists in following the cult leader Shakahola.
The man, who is in his seventies and resides in Shirombe village in Butere, Kakamega County, expressed his revulsion at his youngest son's bizarre conduct, which led him to renounce his family in 2016. Cleopha Atanda Lihoywa has not been in touch with his son since he abandoned his wife and four children. He condemned his son's decision to change his name to "Zablon wa Yesu" instead of Zablon Atanda.
Now, Zablon wa Yesu was discovered reading a Bible on the vast 800-acre property owned by Mackenzie last Friday.
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His elderly father, who is 79 years old, has requested that his son be granted a second opportunity if he is willing to confess and renounce the Shakahola cult that has driven numerous adherents to self-starvation.
Prior to joining Mackenzie's Good News International Church in Malindi, Kilifi County, the father claimed that the accused was a good individual who looked after both his family.
Zablon is said to have worked in Nakumatt supermarket which was located along Mombasa road years back and was very responsible as he took care of his parents too.
Mr. Lihoywa disclosed that his son, who dropped out of Khwisero Secondary School during his fourth year, also attended Lukohe Primary School. The son's erratic behavior began when he warned his wife against taking their children to the hospital and forbade them from attending school, which he deemed to be evil and demonic.
Lihonywa further stated that when the wife refused to join the Mackenzie church, he assaulted her and forced the family to leave while he relocated to Malindi. The wife has since obtained employment as a cook in a local school. Due to his religious convictions, Zablon failed to visit his brother when he was hospitalized and was absent from his funeral at their rural residence when he died.
According to the father, Zablon did not attend his mother's burial since he termed it as evil.
When his family members began contacting him to report that they had spotted his son being detained and handcuffed at the Shakahola estate, Mr. Lihoywa discovered that his son had been apprehended. However, Zablon had not begun his fast as he planned to commence starving alongside a group of other men in June.
