Dan Mackenzie, the son of self-proclaimed preacher Paul Mackenzie, has spoken about the hardships he says he went through while growing up in his father’s church, including being forced to fast for a week when he was just 12 years old.
Dan, now 24, spoke to the media on Monday, October 19, a day after a High Court convicted his father and 28 co-accused in connection with the Shakahola deaths.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Diana Kavedza-Mochache at the Mombasa Law Courts. The accused were convicted over the deaths of 190 children and one adult.
Speaking about his childhood, Dan said he was subjected to harsh treatment by members of the church when he resisted its rules. He recalled an incident in which he was allegedly beaten for nearly three hours for refusing to attend a church service.
“I was forced when I was young, when I was 12, to fast for a whole week,” he said.
Dan also claimed that he was stripped naked during the incident. His account did not establish that his father personally carried out the beating.
He said his relationship with Mackenzie later deteriorated, with his father eventually telling him that he was on his own.
After leaving school in Class Seven, Dan said he started earning a living as a motorbike taxi rider in Malindi.
Despite his troubled relationship with his father, Dan said he had spoken to him but was accused of betrayal. He said he did not understand why Mackenzie had made the accusation and had nothing further to tell him.
Reacting to the court ruling, Dan said he felt relieved and believed justice had been served for the victims and their families.
He also described himself as a victim of the religious movement, saying his experiences while growing up in the church had been difficult.
Dan further disclosed that five of his younger siblings, three girls and two boys, had been rescued and were staying at a rescue centre. He expressed hope that they would get an opportunity to rebuild their lives.
Mackenzie and his 28 co-accused are expected to be sentenced on November 6, 2026.
