On Sunday, Kenyan Police discovered 26 more corpses amid an investigation into a Christian Cult whose leader told his followers to starve themselves to “meet Jesus.”
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These bodies, which the Police found in three different locations in Kitui County, rise to 47 the death toll for the massacre. Among the victims are children and senior citizens.
The cult leader, identified as Makenzie Nthenge, was arrested on Saturday along with six other suspects. Mwenda convinced his followers to sell their belongings and move to a remote area where they would await the second coming of Christ.
Police agents seized several documents, such as handwritten notes, from the Mwenda’s church. They also appealed to the public to report any suspicious activities or people related to the case. Search teams wearing white overalls masks continue to dig at the site in search of more bodies.
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Nthenge founded the Good News International Church in 2019 upon claiming to have received a divine revelation. He alleged that the world was ending soon and that only those who obeyed him would be saved.
The self-proclaimed pastor urged his followers to abandon their possessions and live a simple life of prayer and fasting. To keep them under his control, he used threats and intimidation.
Kenyans condemned the cult leader for exploiting the faith and vulnerability of his followers. Following the investigations into this incident, they also called for more regulation and oversight of religious groups in the country to prevent tragedies like this from happening again.
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