Kenyan court convicts Paul Mackenzie over deaths of 191 people

Paul Mackenzie ran the Good News International Church, a Christian doomsday cult that claimed the end of the world was imminent, according to Deutsche Welle. He was accused of telling followers to starve themselves to death.

NYT World News reported that Paul Nthenge Mackenzie told followers in a remote forest to fast for salvation. According to CBS Top Stories, he was alleged to have urged followers to starve to death to "meet Jesus."

Hundreds of bodies were exhumed before Mackenzie faced trial, according to NYT World News. The Independent reported that more than 400 bodies in total have been recovered from Shakahola Forest. That wider toll is separate from the 191 deaths covered by this verdict.

On October 19, 2026, a Kenyan court found Mackenzie and about 30 others guilty of murder over the deaths of 190 children and one adult, according to the South China Morning Post. Al Jazeera also reported a conviction for the murder of 191 people.

The coverage differs on the victims' ages. The Independent described 191 children in its headline, while the South China Morning Post headline said 191 children and one adult. However, the latter's summary identified 190 children and one adult, matching the breakdown reported by Vg and Telegraaf.

The verdict is no longer pending. The October 19 reports establish that Mackenzie has been convicted, with the South China Morning Post also reporting guilty findings against about 30 others.

The available coverage does not specify sentences, a sentencing date or whether appeals have been filed. It also does not explain how the remaining bodies recovered from Shakahola Forest relate to this prosecution.