Mackenzie warned followers against Huduma Namba, claimed it was the ‘mark of the beast’

Self-proclaimed preacher Paul Mackenzie, the suspected mastermind behind the Shakahola massacre, once advised his followers against registering for Huduma Namba, claiming it is satanic and ‘the mark of the beast’ foretold in the Book of Revelations.

The laughable revelation was made by a former Mackenzie follower turned State witness who testified during the case’s hearing at the Chief’s Magistrate Court in Mombasa on Wednesday.

The witness, a self-declared Muslim who converted to Christianity at the behest of his father, a staunch Mackenzie follower, told the court how his family became deeply influenced by the preacher’s teachings and sermons after his father reportedly transformed from an alcoholic to a devout Mackenzie follower.

“The witness painted a vivid picture of his father’s transformation from an alcoholic to a devout follower, glued to Mackenzie’s sermons on Times TV in 2019, eventually drawing the entire family into the fold,” the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said in a statement on Wednesday.

“By August 2019, the family had become regular attendees of the Good News International Church in Makongeni, Nairobi, where the witness was baptized and given a Christian name. The witnesses recounted how Mackenzie, with the aid of George Mwaura, delivered powerful sermons that left a lasting impact.”

The witness added that his mother closed her salon after Mackenzie preached against women braiding their hair and using beauty products.

“Furthermore, when the Kenyan government launched the Huduma Number registration, Mackenzie warned his followers against it, claiming the microchip in the Huduma Card was the ‘mark of the beast’ as foretold in Revelations 16-18,” the witness said, as per the DCI.

“In April 2022, my father sold our household items, including our television and bed, and we journeyed to Mackenzie’s church in the Furunzi area of Malindi. There, a church member welcomed us and escorted us to Shakahola.”

After arriving in Shakahola, the witness and his family were allocated a parcel of land by one of Mackenzie’s subordinates.

“My days were spent hunting, sleeping, or reading the Bible. Mackenzie later declared that it was time to be guided by the Holy Spirit instead of the Bible. He instructed us to fast and pray in solitude, awaiting Jesus’ return to take us to Heaven,” the witness said echoing the harrowing experiences shared by other witnesses before him.

Overcome by the hardships of fasting, the witness further recounted a daring escape through dense forests to avoid Mackenzie’s sentries. He eventually reached Shakahola Madukani, where he spent three days sleeping under the stars.

“A kind-hearted Samaritan then offered him a job at a hardware store, where he worked for several months. The witness was eventually rescued by a children’s officer and taken to Malindi Children Centre for care and protection,” said the DCI.

“He (witness) concluded his testimony by expressing uncertainty about his father’s fate, who remained in Shakahola and had been recruited by Mackenzie as a gravedigger.”

The case’s hearing will continue on Thursday, September 12, 2024.