The police in Nakuru, Kenya, successfully carried out a rescue operation on Saturday, releasing 17 people who were reportedly imprisoned in a home owned by a lady who was thought to be the leader of a cult.
The residence was in the Kihingo ward, Njoro sub-county, Kamwene ‘B’ village. After learning that her daughter was being held hostage at the home, a parent from Uasin Gishu County called for help. The 17 people were there when the police arrived, and they had reportedly been forced to fast and pray.
All of the saved people were brought to the Njoro Police Station for more inquiry. Further inquiries into the supposedly unregistered suspected cultic church are being made by the authorities.
During the course of this rescue effort, the nation is still in shock over the shocking report that over 100 people died in Kilifi County’s Shakahola Forest, apparently as a result of cultic activities. Paul Mackenzie and Ezekiel Odero, two pastors, have been held in connection with the deaths. They are charged of brainwashing their adherents, which resulted in their early deaths.
The event has generated debate about religious group regulation across the country and caused alarm. The government has been urged to step up efforts to control religious organizations and make sure they adhere to registration rules.