Our 4 sons joined preacher’s ‘cult’ after being induced via TV – Kakamega couple

A middle-aged man and his wife from Mayala Village in Mumias East, Kakamega County are pleading with the government to help them get back their four sons who were allegedly “brainwashed and abducted” by controversial Malindi preacher, Paul Mackenzie.

Benson Mutimba, 42, and his wife, Esther Shiwatso, say their children went missing from home three weeks ago [October 5]. The distressed parents say they have learnt their sons are in the custody of the said-preacher in Malindi Town, Kilifi County.

The couple says their eldest son, Felix Ndeta, 23, was the first to be brainwashed. Ndeta, according to the parents, thereafter, initiated his three younger siblings.

Mutimba and Shiwatso say Ndeta, a First-Year Bachelor of Mathematics student at Kibabii University, chanced upon Mackenzie’s programme on Times Television channel a few months ago, and “was swayed into believing the preacher’s teachings”.

“He [Ndeta], thereafter, induced his younger siblings Brian Mutimba and Ian Mukhungu, who are twins aged 13, and the youngest child, Victor Malechi aged 10, into the cult,” said the children’s father.

Besides the four siblings, five other Kibabii students are also believed to have joined pastor Mackenzie’s “cult”.

In the recent past, the controversial preacher hogged media headlines for allegedly brainwashing children aged between six and 20.

K24 Digital understands that the preacher faces at least 12 child-radicalisation lawsuits.  He is currently out on Ksh1 million bond.

“He made our children believe that education is evil, and that the world would come to an end in 2024,” said the missing children’s mother, Shiwatso.

“They [Felix and his brothers] left a note saying it was unfortunate that we refused to join pastor Mackenzie’s movement,” said the kids’ father, Mutimba, who is a blacksmith in Bungoma Town.

Mutimba alleges that his eldest son, Felix, began “behaving in a weird manner” in August.

“He had refused to register for the Huduma Namba, saying it was the evil number – 666 – which is ‘being talked about in the Bible’,” said Mutimba.

“Since my children went missing three weeks ago, our efforts to trace them, and re-enroll them to school have been fruitless,” he added.

“They were so much addicted to Mackenzie’s programme. They would stay awake until very late into the night watching the said-preacher’s programme. Most times, I was forced to coerce them to switch off the TV set and go to bed,” he said.

“Felix even set ablaze all his education certificates, saying pastor Mackenzie had convinced him that they were all useless.”

The father-of-six says he has -- on several occasions -- gone to the suspect’s house, but did not find his children.

Mutimba now wants Interior Cabinet Secretary, Dr Fred Matiang’i, to intervene.

Mumias East OCPD, Owuor Katany, confirmed to K24 Digital that Mutimba had reported to him about his missing sons.

“After thorough investigations, we discovered that the children joined pastor Mackenzie of New Good International Church in Malindi,” said Katany.

“It is against the law to deprive children of their right to education. Once we arrest Mackenzie, he will be arraigned,” said the Mumias East police boss.

Bungoma South DCIO, Yusuf Nzioki, who is in charge of the jurisdiction where Kibabii University is located, says they have discovered that pastor Mackenzie’s church has branches in Bungoma Town, Kakamega and Mumias, and that his “agents” are the ones tasked with luring residents to the “cult”.

“We are tracking them [Mackenzie agents] down,” said Nzioki.

Attempts to reach Mackenzie for comment were fruitless.

We also couldn’t get Malindi OCPD on phone.