The National Council for Children Services has denounced the deaths through starvation of children in the Shakahola forest.

The deaths are associated with the controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie of the Good news International church.

National Council for Children services director Bishop Bernard Kariuki said 73 percent of the people forced to fast to death and buried in the forest are children.

Speaking to the Media in Kilifi, Kariuki said that it is against the children’s act of 2022 to terminate the lives of children.

He said the council will cooperate with various departments to ensure that children’s lives are protected and justice is served to those that were killed.

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He called on the government to come up with strategies to regulate religious activities.

“The former attorney General Githu Muigai wanted the government to regulate churches but the churches said they would do so themselves. They were given the chnce but they have failed. Let the government take charge because if these churches are not regulated then similar instances will be reported every now and then,” he said

Coast regional directorate of children services co-ordinator  George Migosi called for the deregistration of Mckenzie’s church.

 He said any churh that manipulates followers through skewed extreme religious teachings should be shut down.

“Even if the church has been certified to carry out its activities, I can say that it’s teaching are against children’s act. As I’m talking I have I have managed to rescue several. We have had reports that some people have burnt their degree certificates because of his teaching that is against education,” said Migosi.

Mackenzie and 17 others were arraigned in a Shanzu court on Friday

Mackenzie, his wife Rhoda Mumbua Maweu and the others are facing serious crimes of murder, counselling and aiding persons to kill themselves, aiding suicide, abduction, radicalization, genocide, crimes against humanity, child cruelty, fraud and money laundering.

The preacher of Good News International Church, which was allegedly closed in 2019, is being investigated for the deaths of over 100 people believed to be his supporters who starved to death and were buried in shallow mass graves at Shakahola in Magarini, Kilifi county