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Authorities in Mombasa have arrested 27 people, including 20 minors, in connection with alleged cult-like practices associated with a local church in Changamwe.
The suspects were apprehended following a public tip-off that reported children being held in deplorable conditions and allegedly subjected to starvation within the premises of Zion Fire Ministries Church.
Changamwe Sub-County Police Commander, Gogo Patrick, confirmed the arrests, saying that officers acted swiftly upon receiving information about distressed children inside the church.
When police arrived, they found seven women and 20 minors—aged between two and fifteen years—lying on the floor, covered in worn-out blankets.
Patrick described the scene as “disturbing,” noting that many of the minors appeared weak, malnourished, and living in unsafe, mosquito-infested surroundings.
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| Shallow Graves in Shakahola |
Investigators believe the group may have been living in the church for some time, as police recovered bags, clothes, and other personal belongings scattered across the floor.
The operation followed the earlier arrest of a woman last Friday who, under interrogation, led detectives to the location. Authorities suspect that she may have been part of a wider religious network operating under the guise of Zion Fire Ministries.
“What we found was heartbreaking,” Commander Patrick said. “These children are of school-going age, yet they were locked inside a building when the country is in the middle of national examinations. Some are as young as two years old, and they appeared to have been denied food.”
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Police say investigations are ongoing to establish whether the church has any links to extremist religious movements or indoctrination practices similar to those seen in the Shakahola tragedy.
The church’s alleged leader, a woman believed to be the owner of the premises, is currently on the run, and a manhunt has been launched to locate her.
Child protection officers and officials from the Department of Children’s Services have since taken custody of the minors, who are receiving medical attention and counseling.
Authorities have also begun tracing the children’s parents and guardians to determine how they ended up at the church.
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| Shakahola Cult Suspect Paul Mackenzie |
The incident comes as Kenya continues to grapple with the aftermath of the Shakahola massacre in Kilifi County, where hundreds of followers of a doomsday cult died after allegedly being instructed to fast to death. The case has triggered nationwide scrutiny of unregistered and unregulated religious groups operating under suspicious doctrines.
Meanwhile, detectives from the homicide unit investigating the Shakahola case confirmed that 10 more bodies have been released to families, bringing the total number of those handed over to relatives to 11.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is assisting families with transportation of the remains to their respective counties for burial.
One relative, speaking after receiving the bodies of his family members, expressed relief that the process was finally underway. “It has been a long and painful wait,” he said. “At least now we can lay them to rest.”
As investigations into the Mombasa arrests continue, authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious religious activities that endanger children or exploit vulnerable individuals in the name of faith.
