Less than two years after the Shakahola doomsday sect shocked Kenya and the world, another chilling discovery has emerged in the quiet coastal settlement of Kwa Binzaro.

Beneath Kilifi County’s cashew and coconut groves, police unearthed dozens of shallow graves – some barely half a meter deep – where bodies were left so exposed that wild animals had fed on the remains.

At least 34 bodies have been exhumed so far, with investigators warning that more graves remain to be opened. Alongside the corpses, police recovered more than 100 body parts.

Authorities have at least 11 suspects in custody, including individuals described by detectives as key leaders of a secretive sect that lured followers into deadly rituals.

The discovery has drawn inevitable parallels to the 2023 Shakahola massacre, when more than 400 people died under the sway of cult leader Paul Mackenzie, founder of the Good News International Church.

A hauntingly familiar scene

Walking through the thickets of Kwa Binzaro, the similarities to Shakahola are stark: disturbed soil, unmarked graves, and strips of yellow tape fluttering over sandy pits.

Some graves were dug so shallow that bodies decomposed quickly, with remains scattered by animals. Others were more recent, with flesh still clinging to the bones.

“These bodies look fresh compared to the skeletonized remains we saw in Shakahola. Some appear to have been buried only a few weeks or months ago,” government pathologist Dr. Richard Njoroge said at the site.

According to Kenya’s Police Chief, Douglas Kanja, four suspects have been identified as prime targets of the probe, while many victims were not local residents, complicating identification.

Regional Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha told Anadolu that the crackdown would extend beyond Kwa Binzaro. “We have arrested the main suspect, the lady who was operating here. We have taken action against people who are doing these extreme things … in Ganzi, Kaloleni, and also in Kwale … in the name of religion.”

Shakahola links resurface

Kilifi County Commissioner Josphat Biwott told Anadolu that intelligence suggests Kwa Binzaro may be a splinter from Mackenzie’s Shakahola network. “It is emerging that there are links between this cult and Shakahola. Some suspects may have carried on the same teachings,” he said.

The claim has fueled fears that even with Mackenzie jailed since May 2023 on terrorism and murder charges, his apocalyptic movement has not been dismantled.

Human rights defender Hussein Khalid, executive director of Vocal Africa and founder of Haki Africa, said the tragedy reflects a state failure. “This looks like a continuation of Shakahola,” he said.

Meanwhile, authorities say DNA testing and interrogations of suspects are expected to confirm whether Kwa Binzaro is a direct offshoot or a parallel sect operating from the same doctrinal playbook.

For locals, the discoveries have reopened old wounds.

“It is a terrifying scene,” said one Malindi elder, requesting anonymity. “We have lived through this before, and again our people are being buried like animals in the forest.”

Fatuma Charo, who lost her sister in Shakahola, said the new graves feel like the same nightmare. “My sister died because she believed Mackenzie’s teachings. Now, hearing about Kwa Binzaro, it feels like the same wound is opening again.”

For some, the grief is personal and immediate. Fisherman Daniel Kombe suspects his missing younger brother may be among the dead. “He was very deep into religion. He stopped fishing, stopped farming, stopped everything, and followed these groups,” Kombe said, clutching a photo at a Red Cross desk in Malindi.

“It was like we lost him slowly, piece by piece, until one day he was just gone.”

Vegetable vendor Mary Mwajuma fears her missing 17-year-old daughter is among the victims. “At first, I thought it was just church, and I encouraged her. But soon she stopped eating at home … If she is alive, let her come home. If she is here in these graves, at least I will know where she rests. What is killing me is not knowing.”

Red Cross officials have begun collecting DNA samples from families seeking to identify missing relatives. “We are living in between pain and hope,” Kombe said.

Faith, poverty, and manipulation

Kilifi is deeply religious, but its poverty leaves communities vulnerable to charismatic preachers promising miracles. Pastor Dan Kaburu, a theologian and critic of extremism, said Kwa Binzaro shows how leaders exploit faith and hardship.

“When you combine economic struggle with deep religious devotion, it creates a dangerous mix. Unscrupulous individuals can twist scripture to convince vulnerable people that death is a pathway to heaven,” he explained.

Kaburu said the state failed to enforce stronger oversight after Shakahola. “This is not about silencing churches. It is about ensuring accountability. After Shakahola, there should have been stronger monitoring of fringe movements. Instead, here we are again, burying innocent Kenyans.”

Officials have admitted intelligence gaps and lapses in monitoring. But for residents, apologies bring little comfort. “We warned the authorities months ago that strange activities were happening in the forest,” said Juma Hassan, a youth leader in Majengo. “No one listened. Now people are dead.”

Kwa Binzaro villagers now live with unease, unsure who among them may have supported the sect. Some avoid the forest entirely, while others fear cult remnants could regroup.

“We cannot sleep at night,” said Grace Mwangala, a mother of three living nearby. “People now live in fear as many were not aware that it was even happening. Our hearts break whenever we see the activities going on there.” (Anadolu Agency)

Update news