President William Ruto has spoken out about the Shakahola massacre, claiming that those responsible should be put behind bars.
Ruto said in a statement on Monday that those who pose as religious while engaging in behavior that is against their religion’s teachings and core principles would be prosecuted.
According to him, the divisive preacher who is the subject of the Shakahola massacre is a criminal and should be imprisoned.
“What we are seeing in Kilifi, Shakahola is a kin to terrorism. There is no difference between Mr Mackenzie who pretends and postures as a pastor when in fact he is a terrible criminal.
“Terrorist use religion to advance their heinous acts. People like Mackenzie are using religion to do the same thing…
Let me say for the avoidance of doubt that people like Mackenzie and all other terrorists and criminals do not belong to any religion, they belong to jail and that is where they should be,” he said
The activities of religious groups or individuals who wish to use religion to advance objectionable ideologies in the Republic of Kenya, according to Ruto, are leading to needless loss of life and he has ordered the agencies to investigate the situation and find the source of the problem.
READ ALSO: Drama as rescued pastor Paul Mackenzie’s follower refuses to eat, wants to die to meet Jesus
He maintained that anybody responsible for any religious group’s preaching that goes against the principles of the constitution should be brought to justice.
The president continued by saying that such institutions had to be shut down since they go against the interests of Kenyans as a whole.
On Thursday, 11 of Mackenzie’s followers were rescued with three in critical condition at Malindi subcounty hospital.
Mackenzie purportedly told his followers that since there was a drought, they would hasten their journey to heaven by starving themselves to death.
The pastor and his followers appeared before Malindi chief magistrate Elizabeth Usui but were not charged as police asked for 30 days to hold suspects to complete investigations.
The magistrate revoked the Sh10,000 bond and ordered Mackenzie and the others to be held for 14 days to allow police to conduct further investigations.
SEE ALSO: The sad story of Air hostess who quit 11-year career, sold land to join pastor Mackenzie’s church
Usui said she revoked the bond issued last month because Mackenzie has been going on with his alleged cultic activities despite orders requiring him to desist.
BREAKING NEWS: Ruto terms Pastor Mackenzie from Shakahola a criminal and a terrorist posturing as a pastor pic.twitter.com/CQ5xyrGlE1
— Kenyans.co.ke (@Kenyans) April 24, 2023
