Murkomen: This is Why Mackenzie Has a Phone in Remand

The state faces a complex challenge in handling controversial pastor Paul Mackenzie, currently in remand, particularly concerning his continued access to communication devices.

During a recent Jukwaa la Usalama forum in Kirinyaga County, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen addressed the ongoing situation surrounding Pastor Mackenzie.

Reason Pastor Mackenzie Has Phone Access in Remand // X

Why Phone Access Continues

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Pastor Mackenzie, who is currently in remand, continues to have access to his phone.

Despite his detention, it has been reported that Mackenzie was accessing his phone to communicate with his followers.

He was allegedly calling them, praying for them, and continuing to indoctrinate them. One incident specifically noted that he called and is still calling, praying, and indoctrinating his followers.

“Because he is in remand, you cannot deny him his phone. He has access to his phone, and he was calling his followers and praying for them. Once the incident reported is that he is calling, praying, and indoctrinating them,” Murkomen said.

Calls for Stricter Measures

The situation has prompted the CS to call for more stringent measures, such as solitary confinement, for people radicalizing society.

This is due to concerns that individuals like Mackenzie could pose a risk within the prison system.

“This also calls on us to invest more in solitary confinement for such radical elements because such a person, if you expose them to even prison officers, they will radicalize them, forget about fellow prisoners.”

The Murky Line of Cultism

Murkomen admitted that the issue of distinguishing between religious practices and harmful cultic activities remains particularly challenging for authorities.

"Religion is very complex, you may want to blame the DCI and everybody else but the line is very blurred between when it turns out to be a cult and not just a cult, but a cult that leads to loss of lives," he said.

The CS also said that the cult leaders are taking advantage of the people in Kilifi County because of it’s vast unoccupied ranches, from the infamous Shakahola to now the Kwabinzaro.

Ongoing Investigations and New Discoveries

The story of Pastor Paul Mackenzie gained national prominence in April 2023 when dozens of bodies, believed to be followers of his Good News International Church, were exhumed from shallow graves in the Shakahola forest, Kilifi County.

CS Murkomen Explains Why Mackenzie Has a Phone in Remand // X

Mackenzie was arrested in connection with these deaths, as he allegedly instructed his followers to starve themselves to death to "meet Jesus." The shocking discovery led to a vast search and rescue operation and ongoing police investigations into cult-related deaths.

ALSO READ: Mackenzie: My biggest sin right now is eating

Recent reports indicate that new graves continue to be discovered in the Kwabinzaro area of Chakama, adding to the somber tally of victims. The total number of bodies recovered in the Shakahola investigation had tragically surpassed 400.

Mackenzie and several co-accused remain in custody, facing various charges including murder, terrorism, and child cruelty, as the nation grapples with the devastating impact of his alleged cultic activities.