What you need know about Pastor Paul Mackenzie.
Pastor Paul Mackenzie has been trending for the better part of last week and he is being accused of running a cult like church in Shakaola, Kilifi County.
Mackenzie is the founder of Good News International Church which has been operating in some parts of Coastal Kenya.
He founded the church in 2003 as an evangelical Centre but later moved to Migingo in Malindi when the church started flourishing.
Mackenzie is said to have been helped by his brother in law to move to Malindi and establish a taxi business there. Some of his former colleagues who were once his followers told members of the press that they fell apart after Mackenzie started preaching radical teachings against education and other religions.
According to people who are well versed with his church operations, Mackenzie gained a significant following by convincing people that he had powers to speak to God directly.
He also based his teachings on inciting his followers against the United Nations, the United States and Roman Catholic Church by terming these institutions as agents of Satan.
The controversial pastor even recorded a song condemning these institutions.
He is said to have convinced some of his followers to sell their properties and gift him the proceeds. One of his followers sold assets worth 20 million and the pastor used the money to buy pieces of land in Malindi and, to start a TV station and to buy two cars.
Another lady, who has been identified has Betty resigned from her Air Hostess job and sold all her assets for 7 million and relocated to Shakaola. Her where about are yet to be established to date.
His TV station was however closed in 2018 by the Kenya Classification Board which was being led by DR Ezekiel Mutua. This is after it emerged that Paul Mackenzie was promoting extreme religion believes.
Mackenzie and his wife were also arraigned in court for religious radicalization.
At one point, he was in logger heads with the then Malindi Member of Parliament, Aisha Jumwa for keeping sick people and school going children at his compound.
Early this year, Paul Mackenzie is said to have forced his congregants to starve to death for them to meet Jesus.
At the time of publishing this article, police had already exhumed 67 bodies and more than 30 individuals rescued while starving to death.
