Shakahola massacre: Ruto reveals commissioners transferred, churches to be regulated

President William Ruto on Sunday, April 30 revealed the decisive action his administration will take in the wake of the Shakahola massacre and concerns over controversial religious leaders who lead suspected cult churches.

The president who was speaking during a church service at Makutano Stadium in Kapenguria, West Pokot County revealed that his administration is working on a plan to weed out unscrupulous pastors and hold religious leaders accountable.

"I will consult all religious leaders in the country to have a task force to weed out the characters who want to abuse religion, to run businesses and things that are anti-religion in Kenya.

"We want to provide a framework agreed upon with our religious leaders. A framework that will provide for self-regulation so that churches and spiritual leaders can have a mechanism where they can point to government those who want to abuse religion for other purposes," Ruto explained.

The head of state promised to leave no stone unturned in pursuit of the truth in the Shakahola massacre, noting that a Judicial Commission of Inquiry in the coming week to investigate the tragedy and ensure such does not repeat in the future.

"We are Christians who believe in God. There are those who use religion to destroy other people and also other destructive means.

"To ensure that what happened in Shakahola will never happen again, we are placing a Judicial Commission of Inquiry so that we can get to the bottom of what really happened in Shakahola with (pastor Paul) Mackenzie and all his collaborators," Ruto explained.

H.E President William Ruto and DP Rigathi Gachagua joined and hundreds of faithful for an interdenominational church service at Makutano in West Pokot County on April 30,2023 Pulse Live Kenya

Transfer of all who slept on the job

He also revealed that all commissioners who slept on the job as the Shakahola massacre went on right under their noses have since been transferred.

READ: Pastor Ezekiel Odero hires Cliff Ombeta, Danstan Omari ahead of court battle

"Recently, we transferred all commissioners who slacked on their jobs including the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and

Criminal Investigation Department (CID). So this week, I will appoint the commission so that what happened at Shakahola doesn't happen again," added the president.

More than 100 bodies have so far been retrieved with two pastors arrested and arraigned in court.

Among those who have been arrested are pastor Ezekiel Odero and Paul Mackenzie.