By Ebi Kesiena
Rwandan authorities have shut down 185 churches in a nationwide crackdown over legal compliance, an official announced on Friday.
The closures occurred in the Musanze district in northern Rwanda following a nationwide inspection conducted earlier this week, stated Jean Claude Musabyimana, Rwanda’s local government minister.
“The churches were closed for failing to comply with required legal standards, thereby exposing worshipers to unnecessary risks,” said Musabyimana.
Emphasizing that the measure is not an attack on religious freedom, Musabyimana explained that churches must meet several requirements to operate, including registration by the Rwanda Governance Board, basic infrastructure, sanitation facilities, lightning conductors, and safety standards.
Additionally, churches are required to install soundproof technology to prevent noise pollution, he added.
Most of the affected establishments were Pentecostal churches, many of which were found to be in dilapidated conditions, according to officials.
This marks the second major crackdown on places of worship in the East African nation.
Heritage Times HT recalls that in 2018, Rwandan authorities closed over 700 churches that were found to be operating illegally.
Under the law governing the organization and functioning of faith-based organizations, all preachers must have theological training before opening a church. The government had given church leaders five years to meet the necessary legal standards, which many reportedly failed to achieve.
The number of Pentecostal churches has been increasing across the continent, often led by charismatic preachers promising miracles to their followers.
