Shakahola survivor recounts starvation and beatings under Paul Mackenzie’s cult teachings

A teenage survivor of the Shakahola tragedy gave chilling testimony in court on Monday, recounting how he was forced to abandon school and later endure starvation under the influence of self-proclaimed preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie.

The now 16-year-old, testifying under witness protection as “SBB” before Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku, described how his life was upended when his mother, influenced by Mackenzie’s teachings, pulled him out of school while he was in Standard Three.

According to SBB, Mackenzie’s church in Makongeni, Nairobi, convinced his mother that formal education went against Christian teachings.

“My mother stopped me from attending school because she believed education displeased Jesus. I had no power to object,” he told the court.

He said his family later sold their household belongings to fund a trip to Malindi, where Mackenzie’s ministry was based. From Makongeni, they travelled to Furunzi, then to the remote Jagwani area within the Shakahola forest.

Transported in a lorry via a road cleared for forest access, the family joined other followers in setting up makeshift shelters in the wilderness. SBB described the living conditions as brutal, marked by hunger and frequent beatings.

He testified that his own mother, adhering to Mackenzie’s doctrines, refused to feed him. Driven by hunger, he once stole food from a neighbour, which led to a violent punishment.

“I went for days without eating. After stealing some food, I was beaten by Smart and others,” he said, naming Smart as one of Mackenzie’s close associates.

Mandatory fasting

SBB explained that fasting, which started as voluntary, soon became mandatory, especially for children.

Followers were told they were “late for heaven” and needed to fast unquestioningly. Anyone who left the group was said to have returned to “Babel,” symbolising the secular world.

He also recalled that Mackenzie would preach during funeral services in the forest, encouraging his followers to hasten their journey to heaven before “the ship sails.” One such funeral, he said, was for a woman called Mama Ruth, which was attended by her daughter, Ruth.

He revealed that gatherings were held in a secluded area of the forest known as Judea, where Mackenzie delivered what he called divine messages. These included apocalyptic interpretations of world events—such as the Russia-Ukraine war—and the rejection of systems like Huduma Namba and formal schooling, which he labelled satanic.

Two days after a particularly severe beating, SBB said he saw an opportunity to escape.

Fled the camp

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Pretending to go relieve himself at dusk, he fled the camp alone and walked to Shakahola village. There, a farm worker found him and took him to the area’s village elder.

“At that point, my two younger siblings were still inside the forest, fasting,” he said.

The village elder gave him temporary shelter before handing him over to government officials, including child protection officers.

In his testimony, SBB identified Paul Mackenzie, Smart Mwakalama, and another man named Alex as the individuals who assaulted him.

He also said Smart—believed to be Mackenzie’s key deputy—was among those who dug graves. Others involved in burials included people known as Ken and David.

During cross-examination by defence lawyer Obonyo, the witness confirmed that his family relocated from Nairobi to Malindi in 2019.

He said Pastor George Mwaura, then the head of Mackenzie’s Nairobi branch, coordinated the move, although he did not drive the vehicle himself.

SBB said his family had been lured by promises of fertile land in Shakahola, only to find themselves trapped in a life of food deprivation, spiritual manipulation, and abuse.

The hearing continues.