In a significant crackdown on unregulated places of worship, Rwandan authorities have shut down more than 4,000 churches and a few mosques over the past month.
The closures are part of a broader effort to enforce health and safety regulations, including requirements for soundproofing and structural integrity.
According to BBC, Minister of Local Government Jean Claude Musabyimana emphasized that the enforcement is intended to ensure the safety and tranquility of worshippers, not to restrict religious practices.
“This is not being done to prevent people from praying but to ensure the safety and tranquillity of worshipers,” Musabyimana stated in a report by state media.
The ongoing operation marks the first major enforcement of a 2018 law aimed at regulating the proliferation of worship places in Rwanda.
The legislation mandates that places of worship operate in an organized manner within safe environments and restricts the use of loud public address systems.
It also requires preachers to have formal theological training before establishing a church.
Initially, around 700 churches were closed when the law was first introduced.
President Paul Kagame, who recently won a fourth term with 99% of the vote, has previously argued that Rwanda does not need such a high number of worship spaces, reflecting his view that such density is suited only for more developed economies.
The crackdown, led by local urban authorities in collaboration with the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), targets churches that have had five years to comply with the new regulations.
Among the closed establishments, 427 were operating from caves, and others were located in tents or makeshift structures, exposing worshippers to potential hazards.
