Controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie has been sentenced to 200 years in prison over the Shakahola massacre, in which 191 people, including 190 children, died after extreme religious fasting.
The court handed down the sentence at the High Court in Mombasa on Friday, November 6, 2026, following Mackenzie’s conviction on 191 counts of murder.
The sentences followed a murder judgment delivered on October 19, 2026, in which the judge found Mackenzie and 28 co-accused guilty of all 191 counts after the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
However, the two sets of sentences will run consecutively, resulting in an aggregate prison term of 200 years.
The court said the punishment was intended to achieve retribution, denunciation, and deterrence, considering the scale of the crimes and the suffering inflicted on victims and their families.
Additionally, the court considered the prosecution’s request for the death penalty, with the judge observing that capital punishment was discretionary and reserved for exceptional cases.
The judge explained that keeping Mackenzie alive could preserve the possibility of obtaining information about the whereabouts of missing children and help families still searching for answers.
