Kenyan cult leader told followers to starve themselves ahead of ‘world’s end’
- Kenyan cult leader Paul Mackenzie Nthenge has been accused of ordering his followers to starve to death
- The number of victims linked to the so-called ‘Shakahola Forest Massacre’ stands at 98, but there could be dozens more
The leader of a Kenyan cult told his followers the world would end on April 15 and instructed them to starve themselves to be the first to go to heaven, a relative of cult members and hospital staff told Reuters.
The number of victims linked to the Good News International Church in Kenya climbed to 98 on Wednesday as weeping relatives anxiously awaited news of loved ones after investigators unearthed mass graves last week.
The deaths amount to one of the worst cult-related tragedies in recent history and the toll is expected to rise further, with the Kenyan Red Cross saying more than 300 people have been reported as missing.
Cult leader Paul Mackenzie Nthenge has been in police custody since April 14, held alongside 14 other cult members. Kenyan media have reported that he is refusing food and water.
“He told them to starve themselves ahead of the world’s end on April 15, saying he would be that last one and that he would lock the doors,” said Stephen Mwiti, whose wife and six children joined the cult and are feared dead.
Mwiti said he had heard this from a former cult member who had been expelled for drinking water during the mass fast.
