Neno Evangelism Centre founder Apostle James Maina Ng’ang’a has broken his silence on the landmark sentencing of Good News International Church leader Paul Mackenzie, questioning whether the 200-year prison term handed down by the court goes far enough.
High Court Judge Diana Kavedza-Mochache sentenced Mackenzie to 200 years in prison on Friday, November 6, 2026, following his conviction on 191 counts of murder involving 190 children and one adult in the Shakahola forest massacre.
Reacting to the judgment during a live sermon at his Nairobi church, the outspoken 73-year-old televangelist lambasted Mackenzie for using scripture to manipulate vulnerable followers into lethal starvation while avoiding the ordeal himself.
“I heard that Mackenzie was sentenced to 200 years, haha. The judge should have considered the death penalty and she could have been done with that. Someone who tells people to fast but does not fast himself… Isn’t that using the name of Jesus? Did Jesus say people should fast and die to go to heaven?” Ng’ang’a posed.
Addressing any comparisons between himself and other controversial high-profile religious figures, Ng’ang’a humorously referenced his own past time behind bars prior to his ordination.
Having served time in correctional facilities between 1972 and 1992 before founding Neno Evangelism, the veteran preacher joked about his familiarity with prison routine.
