Paul Mackenzie Nthenge, a former taxi driver turned religious leader, has been accused of convincing hundreds of followers to starve themselves to death in order to meet Jesus.
For the past several months, Kenya has been rocked by macabre revelations about the dealings of Paul Mackenzie Nthenge, a cult leader suspected of orchestrating the deaths of over 240 of his loyal followers through starvation. A former televangelist in charge of the Good News International Church, which officially closed down in 2019, Mackenzie Nthenge is believed to have continued his religious activities after moving to the remote village of Shakahola, spewing his extremist beliefs and exploiting people’s fear of the unknown. Evidence suggests that he was somehow able to convince his followers that starving themselves and their loved ones, including children, was a faster way of reaching heaven and meeting their savior, Jesus Christ.