'Morgue Is Full': How a Kenyan Starvation Cult Kept Killing

The discovery of body parts and skeletons scattered across an isolated village in coastal Kenya has renewed fears that a doomsday starvation cult, responsible for hundreds of deaths, has survived despite a major police operation.

Two years ago, investigations into what became known as the Shakahola Forest Massacre revealed one of the world’s worst death cults operating just inland from Kenya’s scenic beaches.

• Mass Graves and Deaths

Almost 450 bodies were found in mass graves—most starved to death, though some, including children, had been strangled, beaten or suffocated.

The alleged leader, Paul Mackenzie, a former taxi driver and self-proclaimed pastor, is accused of inciting followers to starve themselves to “meet Jesus”, using enforcers to ensure no one left the forest hideout alive. Mackenzie was arrested along with dozens of others, and authorities initially considered the threat over.

However, in July 2025, police discovered more bodies in Binzaro, a village just 30 kilometres (20 miles) from Shakahola.

The potholed road to the village transitions from lush green vegetation to red-orange soil and parched scrub. Binzaro, comprising 140 households and a single shop, lacks running water and rarely sees visitors.

Yellow police tape now surrounds a dozen mud-walled houses, with abandoned belongings such as clothes and a makeshift baby chair. Nearby, authorities unearthed 34 bodies and 102 body parts in varying states of decay.

Victor Kaudo, head of the Malindi Community Human Rights Centre and one of the first responders, said:

“There are so many, so many, graves.”

Police were alerted after a man, now in protective custody, escaped and phoned his family, reporting the deaths of some of his children.

Authorities suspect Mackenzie's cult continued even as he faced trial in Mombasa, where he has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of manslaughter.

Eleven people were arrested at Binzaro, including at least four linked to the Shakahola community, all of whom had children who died there.

“The morgue is now full,” Kaudo said, adding that unlike Shakahola’s deep graves, victims were buried under trees and covered with leaves and thorns, leaving bones scattered and accessible to hyenas.

Investigators believe deaths in Binzaro began in 2023, following the initial disruption of the Shakahola cult.

The alleged leader of the Binzaro group, Sharleen Temba Anido, appeared emotionless in court last week alongside three co-suspects. The magistrate granted 60 more days for investigation.

Authorities fear the suspects could continue preaching their deadly message. Investigators suspect Anido operated from Malindi, transporting believers to Binzaro under cover of night.

Robert Kiinge, a Directorate of Criminal Investigations officer, said: “They were coming in small groups. Whoever went in did not come out.”

Court documents indicate that Anido was part of the original Shakahola cult and her husband, who held extreme religious beliefs, is believed dead. Authorities warn a network of radicalised followers may still be active.

A lawyer familiar with the Shakahola case said the Binzaro group altered tactics in response to earlier arrests, including new burial methods to evade detection.

Residents claim they knew nothing about the cult, noting that the area’s unoccupied land attracts such groups, often sold without scrutiny.

“We had Shakahola One, then Shakahola Two. We fear Shakahola Three,” said a resident, Simon, 32.

Kaudo warned that political sensitivities complicate regulation, as many Kenyan politicians hesitate to impose restrictions on influential religious groups.

“Without a proper de-radicalisation programme, the cycle of death will continue. It can never stop. It won’t stop.”

Summary Table: Key Facts

The Shakahola-Binzaro chain of cults underscores the ongoing danger posed by radicalised doomsday groups in Kenya, with investigators warning that without systematic intervention, the lethal cycle may continue.