Mackenzie Warned Followers Against Huduma Namba Terming It Satanic
Mackenzie Warned Followers Against Huduma Namba Terming It Satanic
Self-proclaimed preacher Paul Mackenzie, the suspected mastermind of the Shakahola massacre, once advised his followers not to register for Huduma Namba.
The deceptive preacher claimed that it was satanic and ‘the mark of the beast’ prophesied in the Book of Revelation.
The amusing revelation was made by a former Mackenzie supporter who turned state witness and testified at the Chief’s Magistrate Court in Mombasa on Wednesday.
The witness, a self-declared Muslim who converted to Christianity and is a devout Mackenzie supporter, told the court how the preacher’s teachings and sermons had a profound impact on his family.
This came after his father allegedly transformed from an alcoholic to a devout Mackenzie follower.
“The witness painted a vivid picture of his father’s transformation from an alcoholic to a devout follower, glued to Mackenzie’s sermons on Times TV in 2019, eventually drawing the entire family into the fold,” the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said in a statement on Wednesday.
“By August 2019, the family had become regular attendees of the Good News International Church in Makongeni, Nairobi, where the witness was baptized and given a Christian name.
“The witnesses recounted how Mackenzie, with the aid of George Mwaura, delivered powerful sermons that left a lasting impact.”
The witness also stated that his mother closed her salon after Mackenzie preached against women braiding their hair and using beauty products.
“Furthermore, when the Kenyan government launched the Huduma Number registration, Mackenzie warned his followers against it, claiming the microchip in the Huduma Card was the ‘mark of the beast’ as foretold in Revelations 16-18,” the witness said, as per the DCI.
“In April 2022, my father sold our household items, including our television and bed, and we journeyed to Mackenzie’s church in the Furunzi area of Malindi. There, a church member welcomed us and escorted us to Shakahola.”
After arriving in Shakahola, one of Mackenzie’s subordinates assigned the witness and his family a plot of land.
“My days were spent hunting, sleeping, or reading the Bible. Mackenzie later declared that it was time to be guided by the Holy Spirit instead of the Bible,” the witness said.
“He instructed us to fast and pray in solitude, awaiting Jesus’ return to take us to Heaven.”
He also echoed the harrowing experiences shared by previous witnesses.
Overcome with the hardships of fasting, the witness described a daring escape through dense forests to avoid Mackenzie’s sentries.
He eventually got to Shakahola Madukani, where he spent three days sleeping under the stars.
“A kind-hearted Samaritan then offered him a job at a hardware store, where he worked for several months. The witness was eventually rescued by a children’s officer and taken to Malindi Children Centre for care and protection,” said the DCI.
“He (witness) concluded his testimony by expressing uncertainty about his father’s fate, who remained in Shakahola and had been recruited by Mackenzie as a gravedigger.”
The case’s hearing will continue on Thursday, September 12, 2024.
Mackenzie Warned Followers Against Huduma Namba Terming It Satanic
