The family of controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie has come out to defend him against allegations of cultism and death in Shakahola village in Malindi.
Speaking to Citizen TV, his brother Robert Mackenzie said that the preacher is not responsible for the deaths in Shakahola, since he stopped preaching in 2019.
"He started out as a taxi operator in Malindi; an occupation he held for a couple of years before receiving his spiritual calling," Robert said.
Also Read:
Paul, who thrived on controversy by claiming that modern education was not God's plan, grew the number of his followers from tens to thousands. However, his brother did not agree with him, and continued educating his children.
"My children go to school and they go to hospital and Mackenzie has never forced me to have them do otherwise. If you don't take your children to school then that's on you and not Mackenzie," said Robert.
His brother revealed that the preacher was chased out of three churches before he decided to start his own church, the Good News International (GNI) church.
However, in 2019, Paul closed down his church claiming that he had accomplished what God had called him to do.
"I don't agree with the accusations. I know my brother well; there's no way he would kill and bury a person," said Robert.
Shakahola deaths
As of Tuesday evening, the total number of deaths attributed to the cult led by Paul stood at 89, including the eight victims who died after they were rescued by police.
Speaking after visiting the scene where the bodies are being recovered, Interior CS Kithure Kindiki promised that Paul must pay for the deaths.
"This was a misuse of fundamental rights of freedom with the purported use of the Bible to kill and cause a massacre. Those who urged others to fast and die were eating and drinking and they purported to prepare them to meet their creator," Kindiki said.
Kindiki says so far, 34 victims have been rescued alive from the cult while Paul is in police custody alongside 14 others as the probe into the deaths continues.
