The grandson of convicted Kenyan cult leader Paul Mackenzie, Dan Mackenzie, has said he reported his grandmother to authorities after she allegedly forced his younger siblings to fast, denying them food for almost three days.
Dan disclosed this in an interview with the BBC on Thursday, saying he reported the incident out of concern for his younger siblings, who were rescued about two weeks earlier.
“They were denying food for them for almost three days. It’s absolutely terrible. That’s why I reported,” he said.
According to the BBC report, Paul Mackenzie told his followers that starving themselves to death was the way to meet Jesus, beginning with the children.
Dan said his younger siblings were also being forced to fast, prompting him to report his grandmother, the mother of the convicted cult leader.
“I reported his mother, to me, she is my grandmother. So, it’s absolutely insane, an old woman like her, to force her grandchildren just to fast. For what? They don’t even know about the meaning of the Bible,” he said.
Dan added that he had to take care of his younger siblings following their rescue.
He also recounted an encounter with Mackenzie, saying the cult leader accused him of betraying him when they met and shook hands.
“Yesterday I saw him, and we shook hands, and he said that I’m finally betraying him. I don’t know. we had any agreement, but he said I’m finally betraying him. So, I just laughed it off and just walked away,” he said.
Dan expressed hope that the conviction would bring relief to the families and friends of those who died.
“To people who lost their friends, to people who lost their families, we hope that’s a relief to them, and it’s a good thing,” he added.
Mackenzie and 28 others were convicted of murdering 190 children and one adult in a case linked to the starvation of followers in Kenya. Mackenzie could face life imprisonment when sentenced.
PUNCH Online reported that Mackenzie and 28 others were convicted of murdering 191 people, including 190 children, after directing members of his religious cult to starve themselves and their children to death to “meet Jesus”.
The court heard that Mackenzie’s followers regarded him as “Jesus’s mouthpiece”. One of his co-accused told the court that those who refused to fast were to be forced through violence, including kicks and blows.
Mackenzie founded Good News International Ministries in 2003, attracting thousands of followers through branches across Kenya.
His church operated a television station, Times TV, which broadcast his sermons from Malindi.
His teachings included claims that education was evil, healthcare was against religious doctrine and digital identity cards were the mark of the devil.
After the church’s main branch closed in 2019, Mackenzie moved to Shakahola Forest and encouraged his followers to join him.
The first remains were discovered by local herders in March 2023, by which time hundreds of people had died. Victims were found to have died from starvation and other forms of violence, while some bodies remained unidentified.
Mackenzie could face life imprisonment when sentenced, according to the BBC report.