The recent discovery of more than 100 bodies in a forest near Malindi, Kilifi County, has shaken Kenya to the core. The victims , believed to have been followers of a religious cult led by a former taxi driver, who was arrested along with some of his sidekicks, were reportedly encouraged to starve themselves to “meet Jesus”.
The tragedy has prompted predictable reactions.
As details of the background of the cult leader emerged, President William Ruto described him as a criminal masquerading as a pastor. He had been arrested twice, most recently in March, over crimes against children.
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi posed: “How did such a heinous crime, organised and executed over a considerable period of time, escape the radar of our intelligence system?”
Leaders of mainstream churches—often reflecting the position of the state and eager to distance themselves from the wayward religious thinking of such fringe preachers—have cautioned against “radical extremism”.
People don’t have to “do exceptional things” to gain blessings from God, said Nyeri Catholic Archbishop Anthony Muheria.
However, the Shakahola tragedy is not isolated: Kenya has a long history of homegrown religious movements associated with criminal activities. They often prey on the poor and vulnerable, promising them salvation in exchange for money, obedience or even their lives, as the Malindi case shows.
In recent years, several clerics have been implicated in crime, including fraud. In 2016, a pastor made headlines for running a “miracle healing” ministry that involved obtaining money from his followers by false pretence. The following year, a man described as a “bishop” and a woman in Nakuru were charged with obtaining Sh6 million from two women in Donholm, Nairobi, by pretending they could “cast out demons”. They denied the charges.
Religious cults and movements are not peculiar to Kenya. The most notorious in recent times was the 1978 mass murder-suicide of over 900 people died, including 300 children, led by Jim Jones in Guyana.
But Kenya’s situation is aggravated by factors including poverty, low education and hopelessness that drives people to seek solace in religion. Another is proliferation of small churches, often “owned” by spiritually debased tin gods, and unregistered ministries operating without oversight or regulation.
Besides, Kenya has a long and complex history of religious diversity with Christianity, Islam and traditional African religions existing side by side and, sometimes, giving rise to tension between different religious groups. This can allow extremist views to flourish as adherents retreat into their own religious enclaves and isolate themselves from society.
Shakahola is serious and requires urgent attention. Politicians and clergy should stop using such incidents as a political football and jointly find solutions. Let the government provide greater oversight and regulation of religious organisations and promote education and awareness of the dangers of cults and extremist movements. This must include engaging marginalised groups, such as the poor, often the most vulnerable to exploitation by cultists.
It should spur us to act decisively, not grandstand.
Mr Nyamita is the MP for Uriri.
