Who Was Paul Mackenzie, The Kenyan Church Founder Jailed Over 191 Deaths

Paul Mackenzie, founder of Kenya’s Good News International Church, has been sentenced to 200 years in prison for the deaths of 191 followers, including 190 children. The Mombasa High Court delivered the sentence on Friday, alongside prison terms for more than two dozen others.

According to CNN, Mackenzie received 100 years for deaths caused by starvation and another 100 years for direct homicide. He had persuaded followers to leave their homes and relocate to Shakahola Forest in eastern Kenya, claiming that fasting would bring them closer to God and prepare them for heaven.

A Kenyan Senate report said Mackenzie promoted doomsday beliefs, predicting the world would end in August 2023. His teachings portrayed the forest as the only path to salvation.

Related Tweet:

A Kenyan doomsday cult leader has been sentenced to 200 years in prison for the murders of 191 people, including 190 children. Pastor Paul Mackenzie was convicted of ordering followers to starve themselves to death in order to meet Jesus. #VMNews https://t.co/12K3a8AFbY

— Virgin Media News (@VirginMediaNews) November 6, 2026

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