Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, on Tuesday, April 25, recommended genocide charges against controversial pastor Paul Mackenzie over the massacre that occurred inside Shakahola Forest.
In a press briefing, the Interior CS condemned the actions of self-professed religious leaders who he claimed used the Bible to perform heinous acts.
He affirmed that the government would use all its resources to convict the Shakahola village-based preacher with the most severe punishment stipulated by the laws.
"I would like to say Paul Mackenzie and all his collaborators have a date with destiny. It is true that by the time the law caught up with him, he had already caused a lot of harm."
"But for the lives lost and the hurt he has inflicted on humanity, he will pay dearly. Over and above charging Mackenzie with terrorism, I am convinced that a case can be built for charging him and his collaborators with genocide," Kindiki stated.
The CS affirmed the atrocities committed by Mackenzie and his group contravened both international and local laws.
"It is possible to charge them with the crime of genocide under international and Kenyan laws for the following reasons:
"Since Mackenzie and his group have murdered all these people at once, and have used religion to commit these atrocities, it is very easy to fit this behaviour within Article 2 of the UN's Convention on the prevention and punishment of the Crimes of Genocide," Kindiki noted.
Activists, however, sought the CS to clarify whether he meant Mackenzie would be charged with genocide or massacre.
Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group, whereas a massacre is an indiscriminate and brutal slaughter of many people.
The director of public prosecutions (DPP), Noordin Haji, had earlier stated that the suspect would be charged with radicalisation and terrorism.
According to DPP Haji, the autopsy of over 70 bodies exhumed from Shakahola Forest will start on Thursday, May 4.
President William Ruto, on Monday, April 24, slammed Mackenzie, arguing that his acts could be perceived 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.
