THE MOST HORRIFIC RELIGOUS MASSACRE IN HUMAN HISTORY

On the 17th of March 2023, a mother's horrifying report to the local police station sent shockwaves around the nation. Four children had escaped from Shakhahola Forest, claiming that they had been denied food in the name of fasting and were eventually suffocated to death. The news sent a chill down the spine of Malindi Principal Magistrate James, who immediately ordered the bodies of the minors to be exhumed. But what was uncovered was beyond anyone's worst nightmare - it was not just the said children who were buried in the forest. The exhumation exercise continues to this day, and the Shakhahola horror continues to make headlines globally, horrifying the world each day.

For the following several weeks, Kenyan police scoured the 800-acre (3.2 km2) property, uncovering a number of shallow graves and discovering survivors who were malnourished and on the brink of death. The first bodies recovered from the graves were mainly of children. One grave is believed to contain the remains of five members of the same family – three children and their parents. In another grave, six people were found. An even larger grave was discovered, containing twelve children. Some of the bodies were not buried and authorities found a number of other individuals who were severely underfed, one of whom had been buried alive for three days and was later taken to a hospital for medical attention. Local authorities requested assistance from other jurisdictions to help with the search for survivors on the commune. It was believed that a number of missing people were still in the forest, avoiding capture and refusing to eat. Additionally, members of the commune were actively attempting to obstruct the search for survivors.

According to testimonies given to the police, Pastor Paul Mackenzie of Good News International Ministries had instructed his followers that the fast would only be valid if they congregated at his farm, and that they were to avoid contact with anyone from the 'outside' world if they wanted to ascend to heaven. Furthermore, they were to destroy all documents issued by the government, including birth certificates and national IDs. As of 10 May 2023, the number of reported deaths was 133, including eight individuals who were rescued but later died. The majority of these deaths were of children, with women being the next largest group, as stated by authorities. The authorities also noted that the deaths were not only caused by starvation, saying that "there were other methods used, including physical abuse". Autopsies conducted on more than 100 bodies showed that the victims had died from starvation, strangulation, suffocation and blunt trauma. The Kenyan Red Cross reported on 30 April that 410 individuals, including 227 minors, were missing. As of 19 July, the total number of reported deaths had risen to 425, and the number of those reported missing stood at 613; as of 24 May, 91 had been rescued.

Mackenzie and 35 other members of the group were taken into police custody on 7 May 2023. On 10 May, Mackenzie was denied bail and charged with terrorism-related offenses. As the situation intensified, the total number of those arrested rose to 36 by 14 June. Tragically, one of the suspects, Joseph Juma Buyuka, died in custody on 21 June after a hunger strike. Two other suspects admitted on the same day as Buyuka are now in critical condition. However, it is saddening the exact number of people who perished in the massacre might never be known following some reports from followers that there are instances where bodies were plunged in random deep pit latrines scattered in the expansive Chakama ranch where cult leader Paul Mackenzie led an unknown number of his followers.