This is sending shockwaves throughout the community.
In July 2024, Rwanda took significant action by shutting down more than 5,600 churches after inspections revealed that about a third of these places of worship did not adhere to legal requirements. The Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), in collaboration with local officials, conducted inspections of 13,000 religious institutions. Dr. Usta Kaitesi, the RGB’s Chief Executive, reported that these inspections, which took place over two weeks, uncovered numerous churches operating without the required permits and lacking proof of their leaders’ qualifications.
Dr. Kaitesi explained that religious organizations were given sufficient time to align with the regulations, and many of the closures were due to minor issues that could have been corrected. The majority of the affected churches were Pentecostal. Since the implementation of stricter regulations in 2018, which mandate theological education for religious leaders and safety inspections for church buildings, there has been a crackdown on non-compliant churches. In 2018 alone, 700 churches were closed for operating illegally under these new laws.
The RGB underscored that their inspections were focused on verifying the registration documents and collaboration letters with district authorities of the religious institutions. They assured that efforts would continue to support religious leaders in meeting the legal requirements for faith-based organizations. Dr. Kaitesi also pointed out that the educational mandate for religious leaders, which had a grace period ending in September 2023, was a crucial aspect of the regulations.
Rev. Laurent Mbanda, Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Rwanda, acknowledged that religious organizations were well aware of the regulations and should have taken them more seriously. He confirmed that the board had requested compliance updates in September. Conversely, Pastor Kabagambe Nziza of New Life Bible Church argued that the implementation of these laws should consider the socio-economic conditions of urban versus rural areas, suggesting that some requirements might not be suitable for churches in less densely populated regions.
In a similar vein, Kenya is also moving towards more stringent regulation of religious organizations. In August, a presidential task force proposed establishing a Religious Affairs Commission, modeled after Rwanda’s governance board, following the discovery of mass graves associated with a cult on Kenya’s south coast. This proposed commission aims to enhance the regulation of religious activities and prevent such incidents in the future.