- Interior Cabinet Secretary vows accountability after admitting lack of Government’s intelligence on Shakahola mass graves; ongoing investigation continues.
The government finds itself in a confusing situation as it admits to having no prior intelligence on the shocking discovery of mass graves in Shakahola forest that has been going on for a while now. Interior CS Kithure Kindiki, speaking before the Senate Ad Hoc committee, expressed concerns over the intelligence failure regarding the burial site linked to Pastor Paul Mackenzie’s cult. Despite being aware of Mackenzie’s activities since his 2017 arrest, the government remains puzzled as to how the burial site went unnoticed.
Kindiki emphasized the urgency of unraveling the missing piece of the puzzle and the need for further investigation into the matter. He acknowledged the absence of intelligence regarding the delicate situation where innocent lives were taken. He also questioned the release of Mackenzie, who had faced multiple court appearances related to his church’s activities.
In his statement, Kindiki said, “It is intelligence that led to these arrests but on the final matter around the forest, there was no intelligence. We are closing in on the process of establishing why there was no intelligence, especially the very delicate parts where our people started being killed.”
The Interior CS highlighted past incidents involving Mackenzie, including the raid on the ‘Good News’ International church in 2017, the demolition of his church by angry residents in 2018, and his arrest in 2019 for possession and distribution of films without a valid license. However, it was the recent tragedy of followers starving themselves to death that raised alarm bells and led to Mackenzie’s arrest.
The CS has vowed to hold accountable any police officers who neglected their duty and failed to act on the report regarding Mackenzie’s activities. He also suggested that officials in the judiciary might bear responsibility as the case continues to unfold.