Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Interior and National Administration Kithure Kindiki has announced that the State will build a memorial for Shakahola victims.
CS Kindiki spoke during a State of the County Security Appraisal Forum with Kilifi County Security Heads on Wednesday, March 27 in Kilifi Town.
Approximately 4,000 acres will be set aside on Chakama Ranch to honour deceased Shakahola victims.
“The Government will acquire parts of the Chakama Ranch where the main suspect carried out his atrocious crimes on the people of Kenya and build a memorial to remind us of what happened in perpetuity,” he added.
Kindiki further directed scene of crime teams handling the matter to conduct final checks before official closure of the exhumation process.
According to government pathologist Johansen Oduor, a total of 35 mass graves were discovered on the vast land and 429 bodies of Shakahola victims retrieved.
The Shakahola massacre came into light in April last year exposing controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie of Good News International Church.
Kindiki asserted that local authorities who were privy to the matter yet kept mum will also be held accountable.
“Once the Courts lift the prevailing injunction, the accountability of public officials who contributed to the occurrence of Shakahola atrocities in whatever manner will ensue through the Commission of Inquiry appointed by the President.”
President William Ruto gazetted the 8-member Commission in May 2023 to investigate the massive deaths.
Court of Appeal judge Justice Jessie Lesiit is the commission’s chair. Members are; Justice (Rtd) Mary Kasango, Dr Frank Njenga (psychiatrist), Eric Gumbo, Bishop Catherine Mutua, Dr Jonathan Lodompui, Wanyama Musiambu and Albert Musasia.
According to findings, CS Kindiki today noted that Shakahola massacre is part of a wider scheme by criminals to encroach public and private land, making Kilifi a hotbed of various criminal activities.
“Land fraud, illegal encroachment on private and public land, criminal gangs, sale and consumption of illicit alcohol, narcotic drugs, and psychotropic substances and poor transition of children into Secondary School are the key security and enforcement priorities in Kilifi County,” he explained.
