Rwanda authorities have banned the operations of 43 religious groups throughout the country, effective August 28. This decision comes after thousands of unauthorised churches were closed in recent weeks.
In a communication from the Ministry of Local Government, district leaders were instructed to enforce the ban. The ministry stated that an ongoing assessment revealed that the affected faith-based organisations were violating existing regulations.
The most impacted groups were from Pentecostal denominations, including the Lutheran Church, which was established in the 1990s in Rwanda to continue the missionary work initiated by German missionaries.
The ban was made public on Thursday, following the closure of over 5,000 churches that were accused of not meeting the required legal standards and putting the lives of worshipers at risk.
At the end of July, authorities reported that more than half of the over 13,000 churches inspected were closed due to non-compliance.
In 2018, Rwandan authorities shut down over 700 churches operating illegally.
According to the law governing faith-based organizations in the country, all preachers were mandated to have theological training before establishing a church.
The government gave church leaders a five-year period to implement the necessary legal standards, but many reportedly failed to do so.
Approximately 40% of the Rwandan population is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church.
There has been a recent rise in the number of Pentecostal churches in various parts of the African continent. These churches are often led by charismatic preachers who promote the prosperity gospel and offer followers miraculous changes in their fortunes.
However, there is growing suspicion among authorities regarding the motives of specific religious organisations.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame recently commented on the government’s efforts to regulate churches, implying that some religious leaders exploit and defraud their followers under the guise of serving God. He also proposed implementing a tax on church donations.