Rwanda closes thousands of churches after failed inspections

Rwanda closed more than 5,600 churches in July 2024 after nearly a third of places of worship inspected did not meet legal standards. The Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) said 13,000 religious institutions were inspected in cooperation with local authorities.

RGB chief executive Dr Usta Kaitesi told Kigali-based news service IGIHE — which gave an even higher figure of more than 7,700 closed churches — that the board, in collaboration with local authorities, conducted an inspection over a two-week period in July. It revealed that a large number of the affected churches did not have the required permits to operate places of worship, while others could not provide qualifications for leaders.

Kaitesi said religious organizations had enough time to comply with the regulations. She added that a significant number of the churches affected had minor violations that could be corrected and their permits reinstated. Most of the places of worship affected by the ongoing crackdown are Pentecostal churches.

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Rwanda has been gradually implementing a law it passed in 2018 to regulate religious organizations. Seven hundred churches have been closed for illegal activities. The law requires religious leaders to have a theological education before running a church and requires the RGB to review the physical security of buildings that house churches. It also requires structures to be soundproof as one way to reduce noise pollution.

In a statement, the RGB said the inspection focuses on checking whether religious organizations have registration documents issued by the board. Churches must also submit letters of cooperation with the district authorities.

“Relevant authorities will continue to work with religious leaders to promote transformational development while upholding laws and regulations governing the activities of religious organizations and ensuring that prayer houses/buildings meet legal standards,” the statement issued on August 1 read.

Speaking to state-run Rwanda TV, Kaitesi said the final element of compliance was the education requirement, for which the interfaith council had requested a grace period of five years ending in September 2023.

“There should be a deliberate desire to comply with the law. When we register religious organizations, we ask them to provide their structure. The educational requirements are primarily aimed at the highest personnel in the organizational structure,” Kaitesi explained.

The Rev. Laurent Mbanda, archbishop of the Anglican Church in Rwanda, said religious organizations were well aware of the regulations. He said the board had asked faith organizations to provide an update on their compliance in September.

“If we took the requirements more seriously and took responsibility, we would make significant progress in meeting the standards,” Mbanda said.

Pastor Kabagambe Nziza of New Life Bible Church, however, said the implementation of the law should be reviewed to reflect the realities of the country’s socio-economic dynamics. He argued that while some clauses of the ordinance apply to churches in the capital, Kigali, it may not be the case for churches in rural areas.

“In Kigali, there are neighbouring communities that could be affected by the sound coming from the church, but in Kagera, the church is high up in the mountains, so there are no neighbouring houses. The faithful do not have cars or even motorbikes, so the issue of parking should not be a concern,” Pastor Nziza said.

Kenya, meanwhile, took steps toward regulating religious organizations in August when a presidential task force recommended a hybrid regulatory framework. It proposed the creation of a Religious Affairs Commission, a quasi-governmental body with a similar mandate to Rwanda’s governing council. The task force was set up after the horrific discovery of mass graves of suspected sect members on Kenya’s southern coast.

This article was originally published in Christian Daily International.