Why Kindiki Wants Pastor Mackenzie Charged With Genocide

"But for the lives lost and the hurt he has inflicted on humanity, he will pay dearly. Over and above charging Mackenzie with terrorism, I am convinced that a case can be built for charging him and his collaborators with genocide," Kindiki stated.

The CS affirmed that the atrocious actions committed by Mackenzie had broken Kenyan and international laws and the pastor should be presented before the International Criminal Court (ICC) to answer for his crimes.

"It is possible to charge them with the crime of genocide under international and Kenyan laws for the following reasons. Since Mackenzie and his group have murdered all these people at once, and have used religion to commit these atrocities, it is very easy to fit this behaviour within Article 2 of the UN's Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crimes of Genocide," Kindiki noted.

Activists, however, sought the CS to clarify whether he meant Mackenzie would be charged with genocide or massacre.

Genocide refers to the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group. Massacre however refers to an indiscriminate and brutal slaughter of many people.

Kindiki likewise called for a collaborative approach to help in saving the lives of those who may have been affected by Mackenzie's extremist religious teaching.

"Effective today we have upscaled the rescue; we are increasing the personnel. A multi-agency search and rescue operation will involve all agencies and will be security led.

"We are going to tighten the laws governing religious organizations. Any preacher, who preaches any message that is against the Constitution of Kenya or engages in criminal activity must be stopped. There must be accountability," he added.

Earlier on, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Noordin Haji assured that the controversial pastor would be charged with radicalisation and terrorism, adding that the autopsy of over 70 bodies exhumed from Shakahola forest would start on Thursday, May 4.

A total of 16 extra bodies had been exhumed by the time of publishing, increasing the death toll to 89 while three people were also rescued.

President William Ruto had on Monday, April 24 termed the actions of Pastor Mackenzie as an act of terrorism, adding that the pastor was ordering Kenyans to undertake activities that are against the confines of the Constitution of Kenya.

"Look out for those who want to abuse even the religious sector by masquerading as religious people, yet what they do is contrary to the teachings and the beliefs of the religion, whether they are Christians, Muslims or any other religion.

"What we are witnessing in Kilifi, Shakahola is akin to terrorism. There is no difference between Mackenzie who pretends and postures as a pastor when in fact he is a terrible criminal. Terrorists use religion to advance their heinous acts. People like Mr Mackenzie are using religion to do exactly the same thing," Ruto stated during the Prison Officers Pass Out Parade.

He, therefore, ordered security agencies, including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to carry out investigations on pastors misusing their roles in religion to commit heinous acts and for Pastor Mackenzie to be prosecuted and jailed.