On Tuesday, President William Ruto received the report from the Presidential Taskforce on the Review of the Legal and Regulatory Framework Governing Religious Organisations in Kenya.
Established in May of the previous year following the tragic Shakahola forest massacre in Malindi, Kilifi County, where over 400 individuals died due to the actions of Paul Mackenzie of the Good News International Church, the taskforce aimed to address gaps that allowed extremist religious groups to operate in Kenya.
The 17-member taskforce, chaired by Reverend Mutava Musyimi, was tasked with identifying regulatory weaknesses that enabled radical religious entities to function.
They were also charged with creating a legal framework to prevent such groups from operating in Kenya and proposing measures for civic education to inform the public about avoiding religious cults.
Additionally, the taskforce was expected to recommend actions the government could take against individuals and organizations suspected of extremist practices.
Paul Mackenzie remains in police custody and faces charges of terrorism along with 94 co-defendants, all of whom pleaded not guilty at a January court hearing.
The defendants, including 55 men and 40 women, also face charges of murder, manslaughter, and child torture.
The ongoing investigation has uncovered over 440 bodies from the Shakahola forest.
Autopsies revealed that starvation was the primary cause of death, but some victims also suffered strangulation, beating, or suffocation. Reports also indicate that some bodies had had their organs removed.
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