Kenya Uncovers New Cult Graves in Kilifi

Kenyan authorities have uncovered five new bodies in Kilifi County near last year’s Shakahola massacre site, reigniting fears of lingering cult networks and exposing ongoing dangers of religious extremism.

Kenyan authorities have uncovered five bodies in shallow graves in Malindi’s Kilifi County, close to the site of last year’s Shakahola Forest tragedy where more than 400 victims of a doomsday cult were discovered.

The bodies, believed to be those of individuals starved or suffocated under the weight of extreme religious indoctrination, were recovered on Thursday during ongoing excavations across 27 identified sites. Security officials confirmed that at least 11 suspects are under investigation in connection with the new graves.

The discovery comes just over a year after the Shakahola Forest massacre shocked the nation and the wider world, exposing the deadly influence of cult leader Paul Mackenzie, who allegedly instructed followers to fast to death in order to “meet Jesus”. His Good News International Church was linked to mass graves where men, women, and children were buried.

Interior Ministry officials said the latest operation was part of a broader effort to ensure no further victims remain hidden in the dense forests of Kilifi. “We are determined to unearth the full extent of this horror and hold accountable those responsible for exploiting vulnerable citizens,” a senior security officer noted.

Local residents expressed renewed fear that cult networks may still be operating in secrecy, preying on impoverished communities with promises of salvation. Rights groups have urged the government to tighten regulation of unregistered religious movements, warning that the conditions that enabled the Shakahola killings remain largely unaddressed.

The Shakahola Commission of Inquiry, set up in 2023, has faced criticism for slow progress in prosecuting those implicated, with many families still searching for missing relatives. Analysts warn that the emergence of new graves suggests cult influence in the region may be far from eradicated.

For families of victims, the latest recovery reopens old wounds. “We thought Shakahola was the end of it, but clearly the danger has not gone,” said one relative, who has been searching for his missing sister since last year.

As Kenya grapples with the aftermath of one of the most disturbing chapters in its recent history, the grim find in Kilifi stands as a reminder that the shadow of Shakahola still looms large—raising pressing questions about faith, vulnerability, and state accountability in protecting citizens from predatory religious extremism.