I've Never Seen People Starve - Paul Mackenzie Reveals in CNN Interview

Photo collage of Pastor Mackenzie Speaking and him leaving Malindi Police Station in Kilifi County
Photo collage of Pastor Paul Mackenzie speaking at an interview (left) and the pastor leaving Malindi Police Station in Kilifi County on April 22, 2023.
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Bahari FM

Pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, on Friday, June 2, told Cable News Network (CNN) that he had never seen people starve to death at Shakahola Forest in Malindi, Kilifi County.

Speaking to CNN reporter David McKenzie, the Good News International Church preacher, also claimed that he had never seen parents kill their children as widely reported by the press across the globe.

"I have never seen anybody starving or killing his or her children," pastor Mackenzie told the reporter at Shanzu Law Court in Mombasa.

Pastor Paul Mackenzie (far left) and other accomplices in court
Pastor Paul Mackenzie (far left) and other accomplices at the Shanzu Court in Malindi County on May 2, 2023.
Photo
ODPP Kenya

In the short interview, Mackenzie further dismissed the charges labeled against him as the Governments plan to intimidate himn. 

He further accused the government of wasting time in the probe linking him to the Malindi cult where over 240 bodies were exhumed at Shakahola Forest.

"It is just a matter of intimidation and wasting of others' time for nothing," Mackenzie insisted in response to genocide and terrorism charges likely to be filed against him.

"What happened in the forest with your followers?" CNN reporter asked.

"I can tell nothing about that because I have been in custody for two months. So I don't know what's going on outside there. Have you been there?" Mackenzie posed while responding to the question.

The pastor made the sentiments before Shanzu Court Senior Principal Magistrate Yusuf Shikanda allowed him to be detained for six days.

The televangelist is being held alongside 19 other individuals in connection with the Shakahola Massacre.

Kindiki Probe

While visiting the forest, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki revealed that Mackenzie had built homes fitted with small dams to provide water for irrigation for his followers in the forest.

The CS argued that Mackenzie had recruited bouncers and staff who strangled some people to death. Mackenzie allegedly treated them to full-course meals to enable them to carry out the act.

"Mackenzie had employed armed criminals to supervise starvation; if anyone changed their mind, they would be strangled, clobbered, or otherwise killed," he stated.

"The scouts and the bouncers supervising the death of our people were actually cooking on the graveside. They would dig graves in advance and then prepare people to starve to death, and if, for whatever reason, you change your mind or you are taking too long, they would kill you," he alleged.

Kindiki revealed that the government was contemplating preferring genocide charges against the televangelist.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki stepping out one of the houses belonging to Pastor Paul Mackenzie in Shakahola Forest, Kilifi County on Thursday May 25, 2034.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki stepping out one of the houses belonging to Pastor Paul Mackenzie in Shakahola Forest, Kilifi County on Thursday May 25, 2034.
Photo
Ministry of Interior
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