'I Fear for My Sons': A Mother Awaits DNA Results Linked to Kenya's Starvation Cult

Carolyne Odour has told the BBC she is desperate about the fate of her two young sons, Daniel and Elijah, who went missing two months ago after their father, a follower of a notorious starvation cult leader, took them to a remote area of Kenya.

Ms. Odour has identified her husband's body at a mortuary in Malindi, where he was discovered deceased in July, near the Shakahola Forest—a site of horrific mass deaths linked to cult activity. As investigations continue, she is anxiously waiting for DNA results on over 30 recently unearthed remains.

I felt pain. I barely recognized him. His body was badly decomposing, she shared about her husband, Samuel Owino Owoyo. The alarming situation escalated when he took their sons away in late June, claiming they were headed to his home village. This vague reassurance spiraled into chaos when she realized he had not returned home and instead travelled to Kwa Binzaro.

The self-proclaimed pastor Paul Mackenzie, currently on trial for the so-called 'Shakahola Forest Massacre,' preached dangerous ideologies encouraging his followers to abandon food to expedite their path to heaven. As a result, numerous people have suffered tragic fates, allegedly including strangulation for those who lingered too long in the deathly regimen.

Dr. Raymond Omollo, a civil servant with the Kenyan Ministry of Interior, indicated that the government is crafting legislation to provide tighter control regarding religious organizations to prevent extremist ideologies from taking root again.

Ms. Odour recounts the painful process of identifying her husband in the mortuary while desperately hoping for the best regarding her children’s whereabouts. Every time I see a child wearing a uniform, I feel pain because of their absence. I don't know how they are doing anymore, she lamented, highlighting the emotional suffering endured as she awaits confirmation of her sons' fate amidst an ongoing search.