Less than two years after the Shakahola massacre, investigators have uncovered dozens of shallow graves in the coastal settlement of Kwa Binzaro, exhuming at least 34 bodies and more than 100 body parts. Police say more graves are expected to be opened.
Authorities have detained at least 11 suspects, including a woman described as the main organizer. Regional Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha said the crackdown extends beyond Kwa Binzaro to Ganzi, Kaloleni and Kwale. Police chief Douglas Kanja noted that many victims appear to be from outside the area, complicating identification.
Government pathologist Dr. Richard Njoroge said several bodies were recently buried—some only weeks or months old—and that the graves were so shallow that animals had disturbed remains. The scene, marked by unmarked pits and disturbed soil, has drawn immediate parallels to 2023, when more than 400 followers of preacher Paul Mackenzie died in Shakahola.
Local officials say intelligence points to possible splinter links with Mackenzie’s network, though DNA testing and suspect interrogations will determine whether Kwa Binzaro is a direct offshoot or a separate group using similar doctrines. Human rights advocates and clergy criticized gaps in oversight since Shakahola, arguing that poverty and fervent religiosity continue to leave communities vulnerable to manipulation.
The Kenya Red Cross has begun collecting DNA from families searching for missing relatives. Residents around Malindi and Kilifi described renewed fear and grief, saying prior warnings about unusual activity in nearby forests went unheeded.