Authorities at the Kenya coast have arrested an ecclesiastic suspected of cultism as religious extremism makes a strong rebound throughout Kenya, a phenomenon attributed to extreme poverty wrought by harsh economic and social marginalisation.

The latest to be caught in the crosshairs of security operations is a 48-year-old Pastor Abel Kahindi Gandi, whose church in Chakama location of Malindi Sub-County, has been shut down on suspicion of involvement in apocalypticism and millenarianism.

The arrest comes on the back of detention last week of 57 members of Melkio St Joseph Missions of Messiah Africa Church in Rongo, in Migori County, on the shores of Lake Victoria, on suspicion of cultism.

The 57 faithful of Melkio St Joseph Missions of Messiah Africa Church have defied orders by Rongo Police Station in Migori chiefs to return home, saying they will only comely if they are allowed to return to the church where two members perished after declining to seek medical help.

It was at the Kenyan coast in March of 2023, when an evangelical sect caught international attention when more than 400 followers of the Good News International Church starved to death in the hope of going to meet Jesus in heaven. The death of the faithful, now referred to as the ‘Shakahola Massacre, raised concerns about religious apocalypticism and millenarianism in the East African nation.

The Shakahola Forest incident involved a religious cult leader Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, founder of Good News International Ministries, an apocalyptic Christian group. It came to light in March 2023 after a man raised the alarm after his wife and daughter, who had travelled from the capital Nairobi to join Paul Nthenge Mackenzie’s remote Good News International Ministries in Kilifi County vanished.

It was during ensuing investigations that the police stumbled upon a group of emaciated people and shallow graves in Shakahola Forest. After the police rescued 15 members of the church, they revealed they had been instructed to starve themselves to death to “meet Jesus.”

On Thursday, police led by Kilifi North Deputy County Commissioner Samuel Mutisya Muinde and his Malindi counterpart David Lusava, the County Security Committee held a brief meeting at the New Foundation Church before arresting Pastor Abel Kahindi Gandi and closing down the church.

Pastor Gandi found himself on the wrong side of the law after a woman allegedly died during an overnight vigil at the church situated about two kilometres from Chakama Trading Centre.

It is also alleged that the pastor uses weird ways of exorcism, including instructing those purportedly possessed by demons to climb a ‘tree of life’ within the church compound for the demons to be expelled, and selling ‘living water’ to followers.

“We have come here because of rumours to the effect that in the pastor’s ministry, some faithful have lost lives during prayers. Because people have lost lives and he is the central figure, the matter must be thoroughly investigated,” Muinde told journalists.

Muinde, who represented Kilifi County Commissioner Josphat Biwott, alleged the suspect, although a pastor, does not use a Bible, does not baptise his believers and has no knowledge of burial protocols like most pastors.

“Although the pastor claims to have attended a bible school for one year, he cannot recall when or where. He could also not provide proof that his church is affiliated with the International Fellowship for Christ (IFC), which is under the leadership of Bishop Menza Charo of Bombolulu, Mombasa,” he said.

Muinde said that during the closed-door meeting, the pastor had told the security team that he does not baptise his faithful, nor does he know any burial protocols should any member die. He does not even know the number of his followers as he does not maintain a register, the DCC explained.

Muinde said that because of the strange traditions and the doubt in his preaching credentials and due to the fact that there are claims of deaths during prayer sessions, the pastor would remain in police custody pending conclusion of investigations.

“Because of these confusing issues, as the county security committee, we concur with the Malindi sub-county security committee, that the church should be closed down forthwith and the pastor now stands arrested until conclusive investigations are done,” he said.

In response, the pastor defended his practices, claiming they are divinely inspired. He admitted to believing in the “tree of life,” claiming that those who climb it experience spiritual liberation from demonic possession.

However, he dismissed allegations that people have died during his prayer sessions. “One person died here during prayers, but she was brought when I was away in Malindi and I did not have a chance to pray for her. No one has died in my presence,” he told journalists in the presence of security chiefs.

The pastor also dismissed claims that he does not use a Bible stating, “I am a pastor and I use the Bible. I did not carry the Bible with me because the summons to come here were urgent. I did not have the Bible, where I was. I use the Bible while preaching,” he said.

Pastor Gandi assured authorities of his cooperation, welcoming investigations into his church. “I am doing what I have been sent to do by the Lord. Since I have nothing to hide, I welcome the government to carry out investigations,” he said.

The incident has reignited scrutiny of apocalypticism and millenarianism in Kilifi County. Chakama is in Skakahola, the venue of the Shakahola Massacre of over 400 people in Paul Nthenge Mackenzie’s church. Mackenzie, who faces multiple court cases, is accused of orchestrating starvation to death of his followers.

Similarly, investigations are underway into Melkio St Joseph Mission of Messiah Africa Church in Migori County, where cases of death during prayer sessions have been reported.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Emmanuel Masha and Mwadzidze Mtawali