I watched my six children fast to death, Mother recounts Shakahola horror in court

Ann Onyoso, the mother who watched her six children starve to death in Shakahola, told the court that the children chose to fast on their own volition in a bid to “meet Jesus.”

Onyoso, a 52-year-old from Butere-Mumias, told Justice Diana Mochache that the children were influenced by a dream allegedly experienced by their elder sister, Snyder.

She said the family’s situation deteriorated after relocating to Shakahola, where they abandoned their comfortable life in Nairobi for the wilderness, where food was scarce.

Before moving, Onyoso said they lived in Kasarani with their seven children and her husband,  Enos Amanya, who has since confessed to killing the six children. Amanya ran a successful garbage collection business with his younger brother and was able to educate the children, with the first and second born attending boarding school.

She told the court that their lives changed after Amanya joined Good News International (GNI) church led by Paul Makenzi in 2019.

The courtroom fell silent as Onyoso narrated how the children died one after another without intervention from any adult, including their father, who would later return to bury them.

“I could not stop them because it was their own decision. I could not tell them otherwise. Their father was not there. Makenzi did not order anyone to fast. The children are with Jesus and I have no issue; that was also the path for me,” she said.

She explained that she would call her husband each time a child died.

“My youngest child, Aron Joshua, died after fasting for four days. Elijah took water and survived briefly but later resumed fasting and died on the sixth day. Lona died on the seventh day, and Snyder on the ninth day,” she said.

Only one child, Israel Veronica, who was above 18 years, survived after leaving Shakahola following a disagreement with her father.

Onyoso told the court that the children expressed a desire to “go to Jesus” and even asked their father to prepare himself to fast. She added that three of the children dug their own shallow graves.

“My three young children; Bryson Amanya, Aron Starpo and Aron Joshua dug their own graves where they were to be buried,” she said.

She is among 31 accused persons facing charges related to the murder of 191 people.

Amanya had earlier testified against Onyoso and Makenzi, confessing to the killings and claiming that Makenzi ordered followers to fast to death. However, Onyoso and other co-accused have disputed his claims.

During cross-examination by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Jami Yamina and Senior Prosecutor Ngina Mutua, Onyoso admitted she did not know she had a responsibility to protect her children from harmful practices, though she acknowledged that children under 18 are under parental care.

She said she relied on biblical teachings, citing the book of Jeremiah, and maintained that the children’s actions were driven by faith.

“All my children entered into fasting when we were attacked by outsiders. We could not go out to look for food. The children said Snyder had dreamt of outsiders causing bloodshed,” she said.

She added that hardship in Shakahola, including lack of food and isolation, contributed to the situation, with the children dying after fasting for periods ranging from four to nine days.

Onyoso maintained that Makenzi did not order anyone to fast, though she admitted he did not intervene to stop the practice.

She further told the court that tensions in the family escalated after her husband exhausted money from the sale of their Nairobi property.

“My husband moved to Mzaituni, where he built an eight-roomed house. After the money ran out, he abandoned us with the children. He would take all the food, and when I asked, he threatened me,” she said.

Onyoso, a Form Four leaver, said she was not keen on education and was not concerned when her children dropped out of school.

“The father was overwhelmed by school fees. He had seven children and was building a home, and he became unwilling to pay,” she said.