Mary Kahindi: The woman who enforced Mackenzie’s deadly fasting rules in Shakahola

Mary Kadzo Kahindi, one of the key figures in Paul Mackenzie’s Good News International Ministries, has been sentenced to 140 years in prison for her involvement in the Shakahola massacre, in which 191 people, including 190 children, lost their lives.

The High Court in Mombasa handed down the sentence on November 6, 2026, after Kahindi was convicted alongside Mackenzie and 27 other co-accused persons on all 191 counts of murder.

Kahindi was reportedly not merely a follower of Mackenzie’s teachings but played an active role in enforcing the rules imposed on members who had relocated to Shakahola Forest in Kilifi County.

She served as the overseer and fasting enforcement officer in Tiro, one of the 12 villages established within the forest. She supervised the women’s section, monitored compliance with the group’s fasting rules and advised members who considered abandoning the teachings.

She was also identified as the only woman among the group’s enforcers. Court evidence indicated that she denied breastfeeding mothers food and water as part of the enforcement of the fasting instructions, despite the vulnerability of the women and their infants.

Her husband, Smart Deri Mwakalama, served as Mackenzie’s deputy and logistics chief. He received a separate 160-year prison sentence for his role in the killings.

Before joining Mackenzie’s inner circle, Kahindi had worked as a domestic servant and in the tourism industry. She later established Blessed Auto Paint Shop, which she eventually closed following financial and health challenges. She and her husband subsequently purchased land in Shakahola.

According to her probation report, Kahindi showed little remorse and remained attached to the ministry’s teachings. She reportedly told probation officers that she did not know the whereabouts of her six children and expressed a desire to return to her Shakahola farm.

Her case highlights the network of followers who helped enforce Mackenzie’s instructions and maintain control over the settlement, contributing to one of Kenya’s deadliest religious-related tragedies.

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