Inside Paul Makenzie's fasting regime and 'last days' indoctrination

Controversial preacher Paul Makenzi is this afternoon appearing before Justice Kavedza Mochache as she delivers her verdict over the deadly fast in Shakahola forest.

Justice Kavedza, in her highlights, said the court had established that Makenzi was the overall head of what she termed the ‘fasting regime’, who determined how followers would undertake deadly fasts.

It all started when his church was closed in 2010, before he procured some 480 acres of land in the forest.

According to her, Makenzi was to die last and close the ‘earthly door’ in a well-structured plan of how the dry fast was being implemented.

“Children were the first ones on the deadly fast line, followed by the youth, women and Makenzi’s family would then follow,” the judge said as she gave account by account of what the court had established.

The followers were duped to contribute each Sh1,000 on condition that they would be allocated a portion of the land in Shakahola.

Those who contributed were then transported to the forest before they were initiated into the cult.

Justice Kavedza said it had been established that victims were forced into complying with the deadly fast through violence occasioned by kicks and blows.

As a result, the judge said Makenzie’s teaching on fasting had a hand in his followers fasting to death, while others were killed.

Besides the testimonies in court and expert witnesses, his mobile phones gave him away.

 Investigations focused on Makenzie’s phones- an Itel and a Nokia.

In the Nokia phone, the officers were interested in words such as njangwani (wilderness), education or masomo, shamba (farm), fasting or kufunga, end time, the beast, prophecy, anti-Christ, new world order and the biblical number of the beast, 666.

In a series of communications presented as evidence before the court, Makenzie and his followers were allegedly discussing the end times.

In the conversations, they talked of God’s revelation of them going to the wilderness to wait upon Him.

“Mtumishi uko wapi siku hizi? (Servant of God, where are you nowadays)” One of his followers asked through WhatsApp.

Makenzie responds, Niko Njangwanii (I am in the wilderness).

Another followed up, affirming that they were indeed going to the wilderness. The reply to it was that it was, in fact, very fast.

 The conversations were about the COVID-19 lockdown.

On the same Nokia phone, there is another follower who asked where the church was, as the television channel had been switched off.

The answer was that it was in the wilderness.

 Following the closure of the TV, it appears that Makenzie and his followers moved to WhatsApp. In an announcement dubbed tangazo maalum, it emerged that they created the group on April 15, 2019. The forum was named Ukumbi was the final trumpet.

From the communication, there were several other groups basically set up for ‘spreading injilli.’

The administrators were required to close the groups, as their time had come to an end, just as the alleged prophecy for the television.

“Admin wote wa zile group zingine wameombwa kufunga hizo group bila kucheleweshwa. Kazi ya kumbi hizi zimeisha (all the administrators should close the groups without delay. The forums’ work has ended),” the notice read, adding that those with questions ought to call Evans or Morris. Those who were with Thomas were supposed to reach out to Makenzie. There was also a group with George.

The messenger indicated that Baba Brenda urged them to humble themselves and not to trouble the servants.

Some of his followers were, however, raising questions on the jangwani issue. Kijana Mureithi wrote that in Makenzie’s volume six, which was aired by his Times TV, he had informed them about the church being in the wilderness. Mureithi added that at the time, they were all living in houses.

He queried why Makenzie had changed to now tell them that if they were under a roof, they were not in the wilderness. He further asked if the wilderness’s meaning had changed.

Makenzie replied that he said they had started the wilderness’s life. According to the reply, the message was that the wilderness journey was a continuous thing.

The controversial pastor cautioned him to understand that the issues of the spirit are different from others. He asked him to stop sticking to (Babeli) Babylon while claiming it was a wilderness.

Another follower expressed his amazement about a dream he allegedly had about one of them who was in Malindi, asking him to join him in a house without a window or door to wait for Jesus. He claimed that he saw children from Malindi had a lot of energy, even infants who were breastfeeding. He claimed they were climbing a mountain without being held. He asked for Makenzie’s interpretation.

Makenzie responded that the energy was only granted to the chosen ones at the end times but insisted that the ‘chosen ones of Malindi’ were somewhere hiding to consecrate themselves.

In another explanation of a dream, he indicated that there were others who were joining the desert, albeit late.

He also linked formal education to the love of worldly things, while some of his followers narrated about bizarre dreams which they needed to be translated by him, linked to education.

Niliwaambia kitambo education is evil wao wakasema chukueni Mackenzie mueke gerezani hivi leo ndio hao wanalilia watoto wao mashuleni (I told them a long time ago that education is evil and they said take Makenzie to prison, today they are crying about their children in schools,” one of his WhatsApp messages reads.

A follower claimed that there is a child who has a demonic problem. The follower added that a snake seemed to rise from the minor’s right thigh; the minor’s blood stops and starts moving aimlessly whenever he hears it is a school day. Nevertheless, according to the follower, during the weekends, the minor is okay.

The follower asked whether the child should be prayed for to go back to school despite him being against education.

Makenzie responded,” Aache shule, short and clear.”

Another ‘dreamer’ claimed that he found himself in an unfamiliar place, then saw former President Uhuru Kenyatta announce that former USA President Barack Obama would be in Kenya to roll out his Obama Care program, after which microchips would be used in hospitals, houses and schools.

“I saw two teachers who were opposed to microchips and I told them that education is not Jesus’s plan, but you rejected my message. I then saw my father wearing a black long coat and looked like a huge giant and he was going to tell his house they need to follow his way...”  the follower, a David from Kitui, narrated.

Corona is 666, a symbol of the beast in the book of Revelation, according to a conversation between controversial Makenzie and his followers.

According to him, the name Corona has six letters. The letter C is number three in the alphabet, letter O is 15, R is 18, N is 14, while A is number 1.

He alleged in his text dated September 4, 2020, he alleged that if you add three to 15, then 18, then another 18 and a one, you’ll get 666.

As the government was busy trying to save Kenyans from the Covid-19 pandemic, Makenzi was busy dissuading his followers from getting the crucial jab.

Extracts from his mobile phone, now before the court, reveal that he was against COVID-19 vaccines.

In one of his many moves, Makenzi sought to have his followers not to obey what the government of the day was telling its citizens.

A follower asks him what is the true meaning of 1 Peter 2:11-18 and if the verses call for one to obey the government.

“Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh which wage war on your flesh,” the verse reads in part.