Journalists covering Shakahola massacre get psychosocial counselling

Bodies exhumed from Shakahola forest. Victims were followers of controversial preacher Paul Makenzi who reportedly lured members of his Good News International Church into starving themselves to death in the name of fasting. [File, Standard]

Journalists covering the Shakahola security operation area have started receiving psychosocial support from the Kenya Red Cross to help them cope with the effects of viewing dead bodies.

The Shakahola incident has remained has been traumatic and the longest tragedy that has ever been witnessed in the country with operations to exhume bodies entering the fifth month.

Controversial pastor Paul Makenzi has been linked to a cult-like fasting ritual that has seen at least 350 people starve themselves to death. All the bodies of Makenzi's followers have been exhumed from an 840-acre farm in Kilifi County.

The psychosocial trauma sessions for 34 journalists from 14 media houses took place at the Kenya Red Cross hotel in Malindi, Kilifi County, and lasted three days.

Journalists had the opportunity to share their experiences while covering the Shakahola incident. Most of them lamented over the mental stress they have suffered.

Most journalists are currently undergoing various forms of stress ranging from anxiety to beat story deadlines, working under intense pressure to deliver stories from Shakahola, poor remuneration and lack of psychosocial support.

Mr Venat Ndighila, the Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager at the Kenya Red Cross, said more of such sessions will be carried out as the exhumation and autopsy on the bodies of the victims continue.

He said that the experience from the incident is one that could probably cause more mental harm to Kenyans since it is one of its kind in the recent past.

The Kenya Red Cross Clinical Psychologist John Kimura and his team took journalists through various ways of coping with stressful experiences in order to prevent descending into stress and eventually serious mental illness.