Mackenzie does not own the Shakahola massacre land - Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro reveals

Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung'aro has come out to reveal that the 800-acre piece of land in which the decomposing bodies of 90 people believed to have been followers of controversial pastor Paul Mackenzie were recovered by authorities does not belong to the self-proclaimed clergy man.

Speaking on Citizen TV's NewsNight show, Mung'aro noted that the land was part of the third phase of the Chakama Settlement Scheme which he claims had been grabbed by a number of shady individuals.

"That land which Mackenzie is occupying is not his; we have three schemes in that area which were initially grabbed by some individuals from the Chakama ranchers," Governor Mung'aro told show host Waihiga Mwaura.

“When I was Malindi MP, we managed to recover Phase 1 which is about 52,000 acres. We recovered Phase 2 around five years ago. The area he (Mackenzie) is occupying is Chakama 3 which is currently being contested for by the people who grabbed it and the bank."

Governor Mung'aro added that had Mackenzie settled in the more populated areas of the Shakahola forest, his sinister plans might have been detected earlier.

"The government wanted to get that land so that it can be allocated to the people. So that is one of the areas where you don't have many communities living," said the Kilifi Governor.

He likewise stated that the Kilifi County government is not to blame for the killings in Shakahola forest since security agents are responsible for unearthing criminals and any cults operating under the guise of churches.

"Security issues are not under the county but rather security apparatuses. Only they can help us unravel such cases. We didn't know that all this was going on,” he said.