Nancy Wanjiru, the woman who bore the brunt of her husband abruptly packing a suitcase and shifting base to Shakahola at the beck and call of Pastor Paul Mackenzie, has broken her silence.
Wanjiru, who spoke to the media, noted that her husband Karanja Kagunya indicated that he felt a calling to travel from their home in Kabete, Kiambu County, to Kilifi County to attend Mackenzie's Good News International Church.
"My husband would wake up and head to the living room to pray at 3 am every morning after receiving a phone call. He also became so harsh to me," noted Wanjiru.
She further pointed out that the experience changed their family, especially when Kagunya exhibited peculiar behaviour after resuming his trip.
"He took a suitcase full of clothes. From that day, he would come to visit multiple times in 2020. From August 2021, he appeared different, having removed his turban and exhibited strange behaviours," Wanjiru stated.
Two years later, Wanjiru noted that her husband indicated he sought to travel to Malindi to attend a seminar. Since then, the family is yet to hear from him.
Karanja's son travelled to Shakahola in search of his missing father in the previous week, and neighbours informed him that the Akorino was seen in the forest with a different look after shaving his beard.
In the wake of over 80 dead bodies being exhumed at Mackenzie's land at Shakahola Forest, the family is awaiting the government's directive on DNA testing to determine if their kin is among the fatalities.
On Monday, April 24, Inspector General Japhet Koome affirmed that authorities had exhumed 26 bodies, raising the death toll to 73, a majority found in the same graves.
He added that the pastor was linked to claims of radical teachings that saw students skip school in 2017.
“According to our criminal records, Mackenzie has a record dating back to 2017. The most recent report was made on March 17, 2023. In the report, he was linked to the death of 2 children."
"It is alleged that the children starved under his instructions. He told them to fast to death to meet their maker,” Koome stated while indicating that the pastor was released a week later on Ksh10,000 cash bail," Koome stated.
The massacre elicited nationwide uproar, with President William Ruto calling for the sentencing of Mackenzie and terming his actions as terrorism.
"Look out for those who want to abuse even the religious sector by masquerading as religious people, yet what they do is contrary to the teachings and the beliefs of the religion whether they are Christians, Muslims or any other religion.
"What we are witnessing in Kilifi, Shakahola, is akin to terrorism. There is no difference between Mackenzie who pretends and postures as a pastor when in fact he is a terrible criminal. Terrorists use religion to advance their heinous acts. People like Mr. Mackenzie are using religion to do exactly the same thing," Ruto stated during the Prison Officers Pass Out Parade on Monday, April 24.
As of Tuesday, April 25, the death toll rose to 83, after ten more bodies were recovered.
