Government to Convert Paul Mackenzie's Shakahola Forest into a National Memorial Ground - CS Kindiki

 

According to Interior CS Professor Kithure Kindiki, the government wants to turn the Shakahola forest into a memorial and sacred forest.

This, according to Kindiki, is done in memory of those who perished in the Shakahola massacre, the perpetrator of which is thought to be controversial preacher Paul Mackenzi.

He said that the administration was in discussions about making the change with the people and the relatives of the dead.

Phase three of the process has already identified and tagged 22 sites as probable mass graves, and nine additional corpses have since been recovered from some of those 22 locations. The death toll now stands at 252.

Kindiki claims that after the current search, rescue, and body recovery operations are over, the implementation will start.

As Kindiki put it, "The souls of our brothers and sisters, adults and children, that we have lost here deserved much more decency than that. This is not an environment that can be restored to farming, ranching, and other human activities."

"Kenya and the world will always remember that there has been this kind of atrocity against mankind," the memorial site will guarantee.

The CS said that the procedure would take into account the judgement that the Judiciary will render during the prosecution of Makenzi and his accomplices.

Due to the intensity and scope of the slaughter, Kindiki said that this action would provide family, friends, and locals with a feeling of closure.

Neither for Kenya nor for mankind worldwide, what has transpired here is a serious concern. And as a result, this crime scene, where the most heinous criminal conduct has taken place, can never return to regular, everyday human activity, added Kindiki.

The administration is also setting up a prayer gathering in the forest to remember the atrocity victims.

So that we may also be able to prevent the harm that some individuals would seek to inflict on the numerous faiths we have in our nation, he stated, "There will be a commemoration service presided over by men and women of faith from various religions."

So that we might restore the precious freedom of worship guaranteed by our Constitution, which has been endangered and desecrated by thieves, criminals, and thugs hiding behind religious texts to perpetrate a crime.

Kindiki was speaking in the forest as the Chakama Ranch security roads were being put into operation, enabling the search and rescue teams to go further into the forest in search of additional survivors and the dead.

Detectives who have not finished the exhumation and retrieval of victims buried in the Shakahola sector have been unable to reach the 50,000-acre property.

To help the search and rescue teams explore the jungle more systematically, Kindiki, who was accompanied by Interior PS Dr Raymond Omollo and the DCI chief Mohamed Amin, said that a government surveyor had mapped out the terrain and designated important landmarks, routes, and probable search sites.

The recovery teams that started the third stage of the exhumation exercise were also visited by the CS.

"Shakahola Forest, the scene of the crime where grave crimes have been committed, will not remain as it was. The government will convert it into a national memorial, a place of remembrance so that Kenyans and the world do not forget what happened here.

"Once the ongoing exercise is concluded, a congregation of believers from all faiths and the national leadership shall convene for a commemoration service to secure the sacred right and freedom of worship that have been violated by crooks hiding behind scriptures to radicalise and indoctrinate their followers.

"I want to reassure the Kenyan people that we have a case and that it will only be a matter of time before Makenzi and his accomplices meet their end. We have enough proof to link him and his accomplices to the most heinous crimes against humanity," said Kindiki.