NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 28-Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki flew back to Shakahola forest Friday, to upscale the ongoing search and rescue operations amid exhumations of bodies.
More than 109 bodies of people said to have starved to death had been exhumed by Friday afternoon with many more people reported missing.
Kindiki was in Shakahola earlier this week, where he announced tough legal action against pastor Paul Mackenzie who is accused of radicalising locals to starve themselves and their children to death in Kenya’s worst religious cult activity.
“Prosecutors and police are working together to ensure there is justice,” Kindiki said last week, “Mackenzie should face genocide because of the nature of these crimes.”
The Government has since declared Kilifi’s Chakama Ranch, where the 800-acre land associated with Pastor Mackenzie is located, as a disturbed area.
“Pursuant to Section 106(1) of the National Police Service Act (CAP 11A) and Section 8(1) of the Public Order Act (CAP 56) of the Laws of Kenya, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration has declared Chakama Ranch, all that land known as L.R Number 13472/1 measuring 20,418 hectares and situated in Lango Baya Division, Malindi Sub-County, of Kilifi County, a DISTURBED AREA,” Kindiki said Wednesday.
He pointed out that the area is an active security operation zone and no member of the public will be allowed no access to it “except as may be permitted by the operation Commander and/or until these orders are vacated.”
The CS further declared a 30-day dusk-to-dawn curfew in the area which will run from 1800 hrs in the evening up to and until 0600 hrs daily.
To hold any gathering within the 20,418 hectares, one would need to obtain written order from authorities.
“There shall be no public gatherings, processions or movement either alone or as a group during the period of curfew into and out of Chakama Ranch except as shall be permitted, in writing, by the Kilifi County Police Commander in consultation with the Operation Commander,” he said.
On Wednesday, the government deployed more security personnel to comb through the vast Kilifi’s Shakahola forest in a race to rescue any remaining followers of the Good News International Church who could still be alive.
