This archive report was first published on 1 November 2019.
It has been a month since Benson Mutimba's four sons left home under unclear circumstances. The family blames a Malindi-based televangelist, Paul Mackenzie of Good News International Church, for their children's disappearance.
On October 4, the children, aged 13, 13, and 10, left home without explanation, leaving their parents, Benson Mutimba and Esther Mukungu, worried. The family claims that the children had been influenced by Mackenzie's teachings, which they had watched on Times TV.
According to Mutimba, his eldest son, Felix Ndeta, 23, had started questioning the Huduma Namba registration in June, claiming it was satanic. He even tried to persuade his parents to deregister, setting ablaze his birth and academic certificates and those of his siblings.
As the situation escalated, the children refused to attend school, citing that education was associated with satan and the beast. They believed that joining Mackenzie's church would allow them to escape the mark of the beast (Huduma Namba) introduced by the government.
On October 7, Mutimba reported his son missing to Kibabii University's management, but the university had no idea where he was. The family later received a call from the twins, who claimed they were praying in Kakamega Forest in preparation to go to heaven soon.
On October 14, Mutimba traveled to Malindi with armed officers to search for his children. They found Mackenzie at his doorstep, but he refused to let them in. Mackenzie claimed that the children had run away when they saw the officers and advised Mutimba to return to the station.
However, Mackenzie never brought the children to the station, and the police officers seemed unwilling to help pursue the matter. Mutimba claimed that a senior police officer at the station told him not to pursue the matter further, as Mackenzie was untouchable.
Mutimba's wife, Esther Mukungu, said all they wanted was for their children to return home. The family is seeking justice and wants their children back.
