Controversial Kenyan preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie has been sentenced to 200 years in prison over the deaths of 191 people, including 190 children, in the infamous Shakahola massacre.

The sentence was handed down on Friday, November 6, 2026, by Lady Justice Diana Kavedza Mochache at the High Court in Mombasa, following Mackenzie's conviction on 191 counts of murder.

Mackenzie, who led the Good News International Ministries, was found guilty alongside 28 co-accused on October 19, 2026, after the court ruled that prosecutors had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt.

According to the court, Mackenzie orchestrated a system of religious indoctrination in which followers were instructed to starve themselves to death in order to meet Jesus, with children targeted first before the practice spread to young people, women and men.

Justice Kavedza found that the fasting was not voluntary but was enforced through intimidation, violence and an organised system of religious radicalisation.

The 200-year sentence comprises 100 years for murder by starvation and another 100 years for direct homicide. The two terms will run consecutively.

The prosecution had sought the death penalty for Mackenzie, describing him as the principal architect of the killings. However, the court opted for a lengthy custodial sentence rather than capital punishment.

The judge also considered the vulnerability of the victims, particularly children who depended on adults for food, water and protection, as an aggravating factor in determining the punishment.

The Shakahola massacre

The case emerged in April 2023 after Kenyan authorities began uncovering mass graves in Shakahola Forest in Kilifi County, where followers of Mackenzie's ministry had reportedly been living under extreme religious teachings.

Investigations revealed that followers had been encouraged to abandon food and other basic necessities as part of a religious fast intended to secure their passage to heaven.

The court established that children were among the first victims, with some reportedly subjected to violence when they resisted the fasting instructions or attempted to escape.

Authorities eventually recovered 429 bodies from Shakahola Forest, although the 191 murder counts in the trial covered 190 children and one adult.

Mackenzie is also facing a separate case relating to 52 deaths discovered at another location, potentially taking the number of suspected victims linked to the preacher's activities to approximately 500.

The Shakahola tragedy sparked widespread outrage in Kenya and renewed debate about religious extremism, the regulation of religious institutions and the responsibility of authorities to prevent radicalisation and protect vulnerable communities.