Prof HAKIZIMANA Maurice
In our previous article, we reported on Paul Mackenzie, an evangelical preacher and pastor of the Good News International Church in Kenya. On October 19, 2026, he was found guilty of causing the deaths of 191 people, including 190 children, in connection with the Shakahola Forest tragedy. He had instructed his followers to starve themselves to death in order to meet Jesus.
Today, he has been sentenced to 200 years in prison.
Follow us on WhatsApp:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCyM5ILdQejDYwQ2b2u You can also find us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/professormaurice/
Paul Mackenzie
Mackenzie Sentenced to 200 Years in Prison, While His Accomplice Smart Mwakalama Receives 160 Years
The verdict was delivered on Friday, November 6, 2026, following a closely watched trial attended by many people, particularly the victims’ families and members of the public.
Pastor Paul Mackenzie, who headed the religious organisation Good News International Ministries, along with 28 other individuals, was found guilty of murders committed by encouraging members of the organisation to starve themselves to death in order to “meet Jesus”.
His teachings also prohibited children from attending school and discouraged the use of modern medicine, which he described as something “evil”.
Also read our previous article: Kenya: Paul Mackenzie, the Pastor Accused of Starving 190 Children and One Adult to Death So They Could Meet Jesus, Found Guilty; State Authorities Also Accused of Serious Negligence.
Judge Diana Kavedza explained that Mackenzie had been sentenced to 100 years in prison for causing deaths through starvation, plus another 100 years for the direct murder of eight people.
The prosecution had established that Mackenzie encouraged his followers to fast until death, telling them that this was the way to join Jesus before the end of the world.
During the trial, Mackenzie claimed that he had never forced his followers to starve themselves to death and maintained that they had acted of their own free will. However, the court rejected this line of defence.
Although he was tried in connection with the deaths of 191 people, investigations carried out in Shakahola Forest led to the discovery of 448 bodies. He is also expected to face another legal proceeding, as he is accused of involvement in the deaths of 52 additional people.
The 28 other defendants tried alongside Mackenzie also received various prison sentences. Among them was Smart Mwakalama, who was sentenced to 160 years in prison.
Paul Mackenzie was one of Kenya’s best-known preachers, particularly because of his use of the media and other communication channels, which enabled him to attract large numbers of followers to his church located in Shakahola Forest.
It was in 2023 that Kenyan authorities announced the arrest of preacher Paul Mackenzie, following the discovery of numerous graves containing the bodies of followers who had starved to death after receiving his teachings in Shakahola Forest. The final death toll from the bodies recovered eventually exceeded 400.
What do you think?
Should we blindly obey religious leaders who promise us paradise, a meeting with Jesus and God, or eternal life in heaven after death, while asking us to give away our possessions, stop eating, refuse medical treatment and neglect our own lives here on Earth?
About the Author
Mwalimu Hakizimana Maurice is a teacher, interpreter-translator and writer based in Paris, France. He is the founder and owner of the information and educational platform Eurêka Academy Studio, also available on YouTube under the name Eurêka Studio TV.
Professor Hakizimana Maurice is the author of the book “UTABA AMATEKA NTABONA ITAKA” (Editions Scribes).
Don’t miss any of the latest publications and updates from Eurêka Academy Studio, available here on our website and on YouTube through Eurêka Studio TV.
PUB
TIDAS – Translation, Interpreting & Support for Your Asylum and Residency Procedures in France
Welcome to TIDAS (Translation, Interpreting, and Asylum & Residency Assistance in France).Our mission: to help foreigners in France overcome language barriers and administrative obstacles.
Our services:
Translation and interpreting for your appointments and documents
Support with asylum applications
Assistance with all your administrative procedures
With TIDAS, you benefit from a professional, caring, and reliable service.We believe that everyone deserves to be understood and supported.
Contact us today and let’s move forward together at (+33) 07 58 90 35 49 or email us at tidasetvous@gmail.com
TIDAS :
- “TIDAS – Always by Your Side”
- “The Voice of Foreigners in France”
- “Understand, Translate, Support”
