President William Ruto called for the prosecution of Pastor Paul Mackenzie over the deaths of several of his followers whose bodies were discovered buried at Shakahola Forest in Kilifi. 

Speaking during the Prison Officers Pass Out Parade on Monday, April 24, the Head of State noted that the pastor was a terrorist who ordered Kenyans to do acts contrary to the tenets of the Constitution. 

"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 to the beliefs of the religion whether they are Christians, Muslims or any other religion.

"What we are seeing in Kilifi, Shakahola, is akin to terrorism. There is no difference between Mr 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.," he stated. 

The President, therefore, directed security agencies, including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), to carry out thorough investigations against pastors abusing their place in religion to commit heinous acts.

"I want to say that I have instructed the agencies responsible to take up the matter and to get to the root course and to the bottom of the people who want to use religion to advance weird unacceptable ideology in the Republic of Kenya that is coursing unnecessary loss of lives," he added.