Six children from one family feared dead in fresh wave of Shakahola horror

Fears are growing that six children from one family are among dozens who have died in what appears to be a fresh wave of the Shakahola massacre. They survived the first Shakahola massacre, but this time, they weren’t so lucky.

Flora (15), Mary (14), Christine (10), Shadrach (6), Esther (4), and one-year-old Tonny are all feared dead, their bodies believed to have been buried in a settlement within Kwa Binzaro village, inside Chakama Ranch.

The six were part of a family of eight that had initially been rescued from Shakahola in 2023 and relocated to Siaya, where they had been staying for the last two years.

However, in March of this year, Jairus, the head of the family, lied to his extended family, claiming he had been offered employment in Bondo, along with his entire nuclear family.

Instead, he boarded a bus with his wife and children, heading back to Kilifi to rejoin the controversial religious sect led by Paul Makenzie.

The parents, Jairus and Lilian Atieno, are among four people who were rescued and later arrested from the forest on Saturday.

A close relative, who spoke to Citizen TV on condition of anonymity, says he managed to talk to the couple, who are currently in police custody. What they told him is chilling.

“Kwa kusema ukweli watoto wamekufa, kwa sababu aliniconfirmia yeye mwenyewe. Nilipompata hapo kwa police station, nilipewa nafasi ya kumuuliza. Akasema watoto wamekufa na wakazikwa. Bibi yake pia, akaniambia pia watoto wake wamekufa," said the relative.

Jairus, now in police custody, also revealed to the relative that despite Paul Makenzie being behind bars and on trial, his cult remains active—luring followers to their deaths right under the noses of law enforcement.

“Hii itikadi inaendelea, na hakuna cha eti Mackenzie ako gerezani. Ako na wafuasi wake huko nje, ako gerezani na anaoperate na simu. Tukiwa DCI, nilimuuliza wakati unataka kufa, akasema ukifunga, Mackenzie ndiye anakuombea kwa simu ambayo anapiga akiwa gerezani. Sasa hii wiki alikimbia na kutafuta msaada kwa sababu walikuwa wanamtafuta wamuuwe kwa sababu alibadilika baada ya watoto wake kufa," added the relative.

Human rights activists say the number of those who’ve already died in this phase of the massacre is worrying.

"Ni kwamba serikali ipate njia ya kudhibiti matumizi ya simu, haswa kwa wale waliokuwa wameshtakiwa kwa Shakahola one. Tumepata habari kwamba Mackenzie and accomplices wao bado wanaendeleza injili ya kufunga hadi kufa kupitia simu, ambazo kulingana na prison ni haki yao wanaweza kuongea na familia. Kwa uchunguzi zaidi, hawaongei na familia," said Matheus Shipeta from Haki Africa.

“Kulingana na victims’ family, tunatarajia tupate zaidi ya 47 bodies katika hii tunayoiita Shakahola two.”

Indeed, those who live near the scene of the crime say that the estimate is not far off the mark.

“Alikuwa anatuambia kuna watu wengine ambao walikuwa wanakaa humo ndani. Wanapotea kwa muda, tena hawaonekani. Wanasema wameenda. Alituonyesha jinsi walivyokuwa wanawazika, wanachimba shimo ndogo," explained a resident, John Kamara from Binzaro village.

The government is in the process of getting warrants to search the area, with the aim of establishing the true magnitude of what it has described as religious radicalisation.

Eleven people have so far been arrested over the cult-like activities and are being held in remand until August 22, when they will be heard in court.