Rwanda has recently closed over 5,600 places of worship due to non-compliance with operational standards. This enforcement action, which started on July 29 and lasted two weeks, affected various religious sites, including churches, mosques, caves, and tents.
These establishments were found to be lacking in meeting the requirements outlined in 2018 regulations. The regulations stipulate that religious leaders must possess theology degrees, faith organizations need to be registered with the government, and doctrinal statements must be filed with the Rwanda Governance Board. Additionally, places of worship must meet specified safety and hygiene standards.
Anglican Archbishop Laurent Mbanda of Rwanda commented that the regulations put in place five years ago were beneficial for the church. He mentioned that the government allowed a five-year period for compliance, accompanied by regular reminders, which ended last September.
Mbanda feels this timeframe was sufficient and encourages a positive perspective on the matter. He also highlighted that the Rwanda Governance Board established these standards to address the uncontrolled expansion of churches, viewing the rules as a way to improve the quality of worship and congregational settings.
Mbanda noted that the regulations cover aspects such as ventilation, sound control, and separate restrooms for men and women, which he considers standard and reasonable. The shutdowns mainly affected smaller Pentecostal churches and some mosques, many of which were situated near riverbanks or in caves. These places often lacked formal addresses and were sometimes criticized for potentially indoctrinating their followers and exploiting congregants.
The Rev. Innocent Halerimana Maganya, a Congolese Catholic priest at Tangaza University in Nairobi, expressed that there is broad agreement on the need for these measures. He highlighted the importance of clergy training and organized church operations to ensure that religion serves its intended purpose. He also noted that, under the current conditions, it is mainly the poor who face exploitation.
Rwanda, an East African country with 12 million residents, is predominantly Christian. According to the 2022 census, about 48% of the population are Protestants, while the Roman Catholic Church is the largest single denomination, representing 40% of the people.
The country, comparable in size to the U.S. state of Maryland, had 15,000 churches in 2019, but only 700 were officially registered at that time.
After the 1994 genocide, which claimed around 800,000 lives, mostly Tutsi and some moderate Hutus, many churches were accused of involvement in the violence. Some churches served as massacre sites where fleeing civilians were killed, and there were allegations that clergy were either directly involved in the killings or assisted the perpetrators.
Later, some clerics were charged with crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, Tanzania.
Paul Kagame, now Rwanda’s president and then a general who was praised for halting the genocide, has often expressed concerns about the increasing number of churches. In August of the previous year, Kagame threatened to arrest Catholic pilgrims visiting religious sites, accusing them of worshipping poverty. He expressed worry that many young people were prioritizing prayer over efforts to overcome their economic hardships.
Kagame, a Catholic himself, was quoted as saying he would take drastic measures, including using trucks to round up those he believed were worshipping poverty, and only releasing them once they abandoned that mindset.
While some critics argue that the government is encroaching on religious freedoms, clerics and officials maintain that the focus is on ensuring the safety and well-being of worshippers.
Mbanda commented, “Rwanda does uphold freedom of worship. However, we may be establishing churches in inappropriate locations, and sometimes the structures are unfit for any deity, let alone people.”
The archbishop also noted the growing number of unregistered preachers, some of whom are directing their followers to unsafe places such as caves, rivers, and forests for spiritual activities.
Simultaneously, Rwanda’s approach to regulating religious organizations is influencing practices across the East African region.
In Kenya, a task force investigating the recent Shakahola starvation massacre has suggested creating a Religious Affairs Commission, re-registering all religious organizations, and setting educational standards for religious leaders, among other recommendations.
