Police admit Shakahola lessons not fully applied after Kwa Binzaro cult deaths

The National Police Service (NPS) has admitted that lessons from the Shakahola tragedy were not fully implemented, following the Kwa Binzaro cult deaths, raising questions about multi-agency coordination and Kenya’s ability to prevent similar crises.

Speaking on Friday in Mombasa, Police Spokesperson Michael Muchiri acknowledged gaps in the handling of the situation, noting that the Shakahola incident – where more than 400 bodies were exhumed – should have served as a wake-up call.

“The issues around Shakahola are truly deep and saddening. From Shakahola One, when it happened, we thought that we would probably not have something similar. There are always learning curves. We could do better, we could have done better, especially from the lessons of Shakahola One,” said Muchiri.

He emphasised that there had been a disconnect in collaboration among agencies, including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), local administration, and the community.

“This is about how we have been able to handle this task. With the first Shakahola incident, there were too many bodies. Remember, we have someone in custody, Paul Mackenzie, who we believe is behind Shakahola. But the issues of courts and the justice system – sometimes the system is so slow that we are not able to effectively and quickly conclude these matters,” he stated.

Muchiri revealed that a special homicide team had been assigned to handle the Kwa Binzaro investigation.

“With Kwa Binzaro, we don’t know how many bodies we will exhume. We are talking about a religious cult, brainwashing, religious extremism, and the secrecy involved in cultism. These are people who are sworn and bound to silence, people completely brainwashed,” he added.

He stressed that he would not go into detail, allowing the assigned team to conduct a thorough investigation and provide a comprehensive account of what went wrong.

Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) Chief Executive Officer, Elema Halake, echoed the concerns, admitting that the failures extended beyond the police service.

“The lapse cuts across the National Police Service, as the spokesperson has indicated. It is a multi-agency failure, from National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO) all the way to the National Police Service, and generally the security agencies deployed in that area,” said Halake.

He noted that IPOA, through its Mombasa regional office, had intervened to rescue some victims and worked closely with investigators.

“Yes, we made our own observations and recommendations, but the furthest we can go is to make those recommendations and look forward to seeing them implemented. As you can hear from the National Police Spokesperson, there was a failure. Nonetheless, that is not something we would want to celebrate,” he said.

Halake further disclosed that IPOA had recommended action against senior officers commanding the area during the Shakahola probe and would closely follow up as the Kwa Binzaro case unfolds.

“Secondly, this is a matter of national interest, and we will be following up closely. Certainly, those are issues IPOA will be keen to pursue now that there is a second round of these cases coming up,” he stated.

The remarks come as exhumations continue in Kwa Binzaro, Kilifi County, where 32 bodies and several body parts have so far been recovered in what is now being described as a replica of the Shakahola massacre.

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• National Police Service
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• Michael Muchiri
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• Police admit Shakahola lessons not fully applied after Kwa Binzaro cult deaths
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