Kenya is once again grappling with tough questions over its failure to rein in extremist religious movements, after five more bodies were exhumed from shallow graves in Kilifi County, barely two years after the Shakahola massacre that shocked the world.
The new graves, discovered just two kilometers from the site where more than 400 followers of cult leader Paul Mackenzie perished in 2023, have triggered outrage and renewed scrutiny of the government’s handling of unregulated faith groups.
The operation, which began this week in the Kwa Binzaro area, was led by a team of homicide detectives, forensic experts, and pathologists. Government pathologist, Dr. Richard Njoroge, confirmed on Thursday that five corpses and ten scattered human body parts were recovered from the site.
“The exercise is ongoing, and we are treating this with the utmost seriousness,” Dr. Njoroge told journalists.
Investigators say 27 additional suspected mass graves have been identified in the vicinity, raising fears that the number of victims could rise significantly.
The discovery has drawn eerie parallels to the Shakahola forest tragedy, where followers of Mackenzie’s Good News International Church were instructed to starve themselves and their children to death “to meet Jesus.” Mackenzie remains in custody, facing murder charges.
In connection with the latest findings, police have arrested 11 individuals believed to be former followers of Mackenzie. They have not yet been formally charged, but authorities are investigating possible links to his network of radical teachings.
Critics argue that the recurrence of such a tragedy so close to Shakahola points to systemic failure on the part of the state. Despite the global outcry and promises of reform in 2023, they say little has been done to regulate fringe religious groups whose practices have repeatedly put vulnerable citizens at risk.
The proliferation of churches across Kenya, some accused of isolating followers, denying children education, and discouraging medical treatment, has long stirred controversy. Religious freedom is enshrined in the constitution, but recent discoveries are intensifying calls for tougher oversight.
For many, the fresh graves in Kilifi are more than just a crime scene; they are evidence of a disturbing continuity of deadly doctrines that the government vowed to eliminate. As exhumations resume on Friday, Kenyans are left asking whether the authorities truly learned any lessons from Shakahola, or whether history is doomed to repeat itself.
