Press Release
Shakahola Massacre: A Blind Faith in Absence of Rationality

Police in Kenya continue exhuming bodies of people believed to have starved to death, from shallow graves in the country’s coastal region. The death toll is now at 89 with more bodies expected to be discovered. At the heart of the said faith, is Pastor Paul Mackenzie, a controversial preacher at Good News International Church who indoctrinated his followers, demanding them to abandon “earthly life” and meet at his 325-hectare (800-acre) near coastal city of Malindi for a fast “to meet Jesus.”

Hizb ut Tahrir / Kenya is shocked of this horrendous incident and wishes to highlight the following:

This massacre is not the first incident committed in the world of Christendom hence it has been happening throughout her history. In 2000, Kanungu massacre where Ugandan pastor by the name Joseph Kibwetere killed over 900 Christian faithful. And earlier 1978, Jonestown Massacre in Guyana where Jim Jones lured his followers to commit suicide by taking poison and more such horrific and extreme doctrine that are based on emotions and imitations in absence of rationality.

Capitalist Ideology by nature has deprived humanity of hope as an essential concept that has been capitalized by such rogue characters who take advantage of hopelessness to lure and lead them to commit suicide seeking for “meeting God” as they have lost hope in the worldly life. Capitalist system has miserably failed to manage societal relationships leading to security lapses, economic stagnation, social upheavals and corrupt democratic ruling system thus breeding despair across the society.

With regard to the push on proposed regulations of all religions in Kenya, we wish to sate categorically that Islamic rulings are based on Revelation from Allah (swt) taken only from its sources; Quran, Sunna, Ijmaa and Qiyas contrary to secular man-made laws which are based on human intellect, enacted and changed according to environment.

Since faith is the most important and grave thing in man’s life, the belief by which he adapts his behavior as an individual and a member of a society. It is the ideology which provides man with thought and concepts for development and progress. We say that Islam is the only ideology based on a rational creed that conforms to human nature that guarantees tranquility, safety, happiness and hope in this worldly life and Hereafter. One of the main objectives of Islam is the protection of life and property thus any act leading to loss of life and property is strongly condemned Allah (swt) says:

[وَلَا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ]

“And do not let your own hands throw you into destruction” [Al-Baqara: 195].

Shabani Mwalimu
Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir
in Kenya