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Kenya Takes Aim at Rogue Cult Religious Leaders

17:30, 10 May 2023
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Gleb Chugunov
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The so-called Kenyan "starvation cult" has allegedly caused the tragic demise of more than 100 individuals. Recently, authorities began conducting autopsies on the bodies, examining all possibilities, including the possibility of missing organs among the victims.
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Cult leaders, supporters of religious extremism, fake soothsayers and other unconscientious religious figures in Kenya have been put on a wanted list on Tuesday after two commissions were picked to investigate their behavior and study the legal framework of religion in the country.
One of the commissions is aimed at clarifying the circumstances of the Shakahola massacre, while the other's goal is to detect legal holes used to furher religious extremism. Both teams were sworn into office on Tuesday and will begin work right away.
The Taskforce on the Review of the Legal and Regulatory Framework Governing Religious Organisations has been assigned the responsibility of devising proposals for setting standards and establishing minimum certification requirements that all religious organizations and their heads must meet to be eligible for registration and lawful operation.
Led by Reverend Mutava Musyimi, former general secretary of the National Council of Churches (NCCK), the 14-person task force was also entrusted with identifying holes in the legal, institutional and governance system that made it possible for cults and different extremists to act, also making suggestions on how the public could better detect and inform on similar cases.
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At the same time, the Shakahola Tragedy Investigation Commission, led by Court of Appeal Judge Jessie Lesiit, will examine the deaths, torture, and ill-treatment of parishioners and individuals associated with the Good News International Church in Malindi, Kilifi County, headed by Paul Mackenzie.
Rev. Musyimi characterized the deaths in Shakahola as a tragedy and expressed his concern that there may be additional cults that have yet to be uncovered.
"The fact that we are here today must underline the gravity of this issue. I know that the people of Kenya are looking to us to deliver and we cannot let them down," he stated.
According to Kenya's High Court Principal Judge Eric Ogola, the tragedy has had a lasting impact on the collective consciousness of the country, leaving an indelible mark that may take a long time to fade away.

"[The tragedy] exposed the vulnerability of Kenyans to religious extremism and other forms of abuse and exploitation by people who use religion as a cover for their criminal activities," the judge stated.

He further noted that the tragedy had brought to light the inadequacies and vulnerabilities in the country's legal, institutional, and governance systems, which had allowed such heinous acts to occur.
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He also called for collective reflection and analysis of values and beliefs.

"As the commission of inquiry and the presidential task force do their work, I urge all of us to reflect on our values, beliefs and practices as a people. Let us recommit ourselves to the values and principles of our constitution, which reminds us of the need to uphold human rights and dignity," he outlined.

Ogola emphasized that the Kenyan Constitution guarantees freedom of worship and conscience to all citizens, and therefore, religious diversity must be upheld and respected.

"As a nation, we cannot afford to remain silent or indifferent to this threat to our peace, security, unity and values. We must act swiftly and decisively to bring justice to the victims and their families, prevent the recurrence of such incidents and protect the rights and welfare of our citizens from any form of religious coercion," Ogola stressed.

Since mid-April, the cult in question allegedly persuaded its members to believe they would meet Jesus after starving themselves to death. To date, the remains of over 100 supposed cult members have been unearthed.
Kenya's President William Ruto has labeled the tragic incident as an act of terrorism and pledged to take stern action against indigenous religious movements in Kenya following the incident. The tragedy has underscored the previous unsuccessful attempts to regulate potentially destructive churches and cults.
Sub-Saharan AfricaEast AfricaKenyamassacredeath tollreformsShakahola Forest Massacre (Kenya starvation cult)