A 60-year-old man relived how the Shakahola massacre wiped out almost his entire family during a hearing at the Tononoka Children’s Court.
His testimony painted a harrowing picture of loss, indoctrination, and betrayal.
Wife Drawn Into the Cult
Titus Ngonjo Gandi told Principal Magistrate Nelly Chepchirchir that his wife, Esther Birya Masha, was the first in his family to fall under the spell of pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie of the Good News International Church. Esther later persuaded their sons, Harry and Isaack Ngala, to embrace Mackenzie’s radical teachings.
Both sons joined the sect with their wives and children, abandoning education, work, and family duties.
Two Sons, Two Families Lost
Gandi revealed that his eldest son, Harry, died in Shakahola forest alongside his wife and their five children.
His second son, Isaack, once a General Service Unit (GSU) officer, resigned from his job after Mackenzie convinced him that salaried work was sinful. Isaack’s wife, a government-employed teacher, also quit her job, and the couple relocated with their three children to Shakahola.
A Lone Survivor
Tragically, Isaack, his wife, and two of their children died in the forest. Only one child survived, and Gandi now raises him. Out of the 12 relatives he lost, Gandi said he has managed to bury only two. DNA analysis confirmed the identities of some victims, while one grandson remains unaccounted for.
Gandi described the surviving child as “the flower of my eyes” and pleaded with the court to deliver justice for both him and his grandson.
Marriage Torn Apart
He told the court that his life collapsed after losing his wife, two sons, their spouses, and grandchildren to what he called a “radical doctrine.”
Gandi recalled warning his wife not to join Mackenzie’s church, which openly rejected education and formal employment. He said their marriage grew strained after she embraced the cult’s beliefs, insisting that nothing good ever came from the church.
Final Meal and First Glimpse of Mackenzie
Gandi shared the memory of his final meal with his wife before she vanished into the forest and never returned. He said he first saw Mackenzie in person during his wife’s burial, though he had previously seen him on social media.
He went on to identify other cult members, including Smart Mwakalama and Evans Sirya.
A Plea for Justice
Gandi concluded his testimony by calling for swift justice, saying indoctrination had destroyed his family.
Pastor Mackenzie and 34 co-accused individuals are facing charges of child torture, cruelty, and denying children education. The case hearing continues.
