Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has now termed the over 28 confirmed deaths of worshipers engaged in fasting to death in Shakahola village in Kilifi county as massacre.
Today, seven more bodies were discovered buried in a shallow grave raising the confirmed fatalities from emaciated believers and suspected murders to 29 after 14 more were discovered yesterday.
Controversial pastor Paul Mackenzie of the Good News International Church is linked to the deaths of suspected indoctrinated gullible worshippers amid concerns of possible major security lapse deaths that went on undetected.
In a statement on Sunday, April 23, CS Kindiki termed the killings as an abuse of freedom of worship and proposed tougher measures to regulate church activities in the country going forward, including self-regulation of religious organisations.
“The unfolding Shakahola Forest Massacre is the clearest abuse of the constitutionally enshrined human right to freedom of worship. Prima facie, large- scale crimes under Kenyan law as well as international law have been committed.” Kindiki said.
He added that: “While the State remains respectful of religious freedom, this horrendous blight on our conscience must lead not only to the most severe punishment of the perpetrator(s) of the atrocity on so many innocent souls, but tighter regulation (including self-regulation) of every church, mosque, temple or synagogue going forward.”
Kindiki is expected to tour the area on Tuesday and directed reinforcement of security in the 800-acre forest that has now been declared a crime scene.
“While the Multi-agency security team on site is doing their best to unearth the truth and prevent further loss of lives, I have directed the Regional Commissioner for Coast Region together with the Regional Security Team to reinforce the team in Malindi ahead of my visit on Tuesday,” he added.
“Enough security officers have been deployed and the entire 800-acre forest is sealed off and declared a scene of crime.”
As of today, 29 bodies had been exhumed from shallow graves in the forest.
The victims, witnesses said, believed they would go to heaven if they starved themselves to death.