Controversial Kenyan preacher Paul Mackenzie has been sentenced to 200 years in prison over his role in the deaths of followers associated with the infamous Shakahola starvation cult.

Justice Diana Kavedza, delivering the sentence at the Mombasa court on Friday, November 6, 2026, handed Mackenzie 100 years imprisonment for each of the 183 counts of starvation and another 100 years for each of the eight counts of murder by direct homicide.

The court directed that the sentences run concurrently, resulting in an effective prison term of 200 years.

The sentencing follows investigations into the deaths of hundreds of people associated with Mackenzie's religious teachings in Shakahola Forest, Kilifi County.

Prosecutors accused the preacher of promoting extreme fasting practices that led followers, including children, to starve themselves to death in the belief that doing so would enable them to meet Jesus.

The Shakahola tragedy came to national and international attention in 2023 after authorities began exhuming bodies from mass graves in the forest.

The discoveries exposed one of Kenya's deadliest cases of religious extremism and raised serious questions about the regulation of religious institutions and the protection of vulnerable followers.

The deaths of children particularly shocked the country, with the case prompting renewed calls for stronger oversight of religious organisations and accountability for individuals accused of exploiting religious beliefs.

Mackenzie's sentencing marks a significant development in the long-running Shakahola case, although other related legal proceedings have also been pursued against individuals linked to the incident.