Pastor Paul Mackenzie’s younger brother - Robert Mackenzie - on Tuesday, April 25, denied that the preacher was capable of murder, further stating that he quit preaching in 2019 to farm.
Speaking to Citizen TV, the brother stated that the preacher could not have committed the crimes as reported as they were brought up well.
Further, he denied claims that his brother asked his congregants to avoid hospitals or taking their children to school. Reports alleged that Mackenzie's doctrine radicalised his followers to reject education, claiming that students were misled to subscribe to inhuman acts.
“I have never seen my brother forcing me or anyone not to take their children to school or to stop going to the hospital. I don't think he believed in such.
“If anyone is not taking their children to school then it is on them and not Mackenzie,” Robert stated.
Robert narrated that MacKenzie's career as a pastor began in the late 90s. He worked as a taxi driver in Malindi before he received his calling to become a pastor.
“He was a taxi driver, a job that he did for several years before he joined pastoral hood,” he stated.
However, when Paul Mackenzie began his career as a preacher, he was rejected by other pastors who chased him away from three churches.
“Maybe it was because of my brother’s teachings that the pastors thought he was destroying their churches, and they forced him out,” added Robert.
According to him, the preacher was determined to spread the gospel and started his church, Good News International (GNI).
“My brother did not have any background in Theology. He dropped out of school in Form Four but received a calling and wanted to preach,” he narrated.
The controversial pastor grew GNI's following until 2019 when, according to his brother, he stopped preaching and settled in Shakahola to farm.
"He told me that he did not get any message from God anymore and that he would stop preaching," he stated.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji ordered the police to map out property owned by controversial Preacher, explaining that Mackenzie's property may be seized if charged with terrorism, murder and aiding persons to kill themselves.
"Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects may have been promoting radical belief systems for the purpose of facilitating ideologically based violence to advance political, religious or social change contrary to Section 12D of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2012," Haji stated.
