Kenyan President William Ruto has spoken of an official failure linked to a “hunger cult” in the country’s coastal region and has apologized. In an interview with representatives of the largest television stations in the East African country, he estimated the number of victims known so far on Sunday evening at 210.
“I take my responsibility as president. That should not have happened,” said Ruto. Some of those responsible for the authorities’ failures would be held accountable. The president had already promised clarification during a service in the morning.
More bodies found, but no survivors
According to the regional head of the authorities, Rhoda Onyancha, 22 other victims were exhumed on Saturday. No survivors were found in the Shakahola forest near Malindi on Saturday.
The total number of victims of the cult can only be speculated, as relatives continue to report missing. By Saturday, the number of missing cult members had risen to 610.
Another suspect arrested
With the arrest of another suspect, the number of those arrested rose to 26 – including the cult leader. He is currently in custody and had failed to apply for bail.
The self-proclaimed pastor, a former taxi driver, founded his church “Good News International Church” in 2003 and recently lived in isolation with his followers in the forest area. He would have asked believers to starve themselves to be close to Jesus.
Lost contact with family members
At the request of the cult leader, his followers had cut off contact with their families, given up their jobs and stopped sending their children to school. Outsiders were therefore hardly aware of what was happening in the forest.
About four weeks ago, police found malnourished people in critical condition in the forest area, which was later combed for mass graves. The excavations of the numerous mass graves in the forest will resume on Tuesday. The search for possible survivors continued throughout. The interruption of the excavations was justified by logistical requirements.
morgues overcrowded
Given the high number of deaths, the capacities in the morgue of the local hospital have long been exhausted. The Kenyan Red Cross had brought a refrigerated container to the region in which the dead can initially be stored. So far, DNA samples have been taken from 93 corpses for identification. In addition, the remains of 14 cult victims were handed over to their families for burial, Onyancha said.
In the autopsies that had already been performed on the dead, starvation was found to be the cause of death in most cases. But there were also children who died of brute force or suffocation.
Case now referred to as a “massacre”.
In the Kenyan public, the case is now referred to as the “Shakahola Massacre”. He also initiated a discussion about stricter rules and minimum standards for registering religious communities. A committee commissioned by the government must draw up an advice within six months. The aim is to prevent the development of dubious cults and the spread of religious extremism.
In addition to the major denominations, there are about 4,000 free and evangelical churches registered in the predominantly Christian East African country.
Source: Krone
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