Rwanda Enforces Massive Crackdown on Evangelical Churches

Rwanda Enforces Massive Crackdown on Evangelical Churches
————————
The Rwandan government has completed a sweeping nationwide operation, resulting in the closure of more than 10,000 evangelical churches for failing to comply with strict regulatory laws. According to reports from TRT World and AFP, this move represents the largest enforcement of the 2018 law governing faith-based organizations since its inception.

The government maintains that the closures are essential for public safety and national development. According to the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), the inspections specifically targeted facilities that failed to meet structural integrity and fire codes or lacked required environmental features such as soundproofing and lightning conductors. Furthermore, the law now mandates that all preachers possess valid theological degrees and that churches maintain financial transparency by channeling all donations through registered bank accounts.

President Paul Kagame has previously criticized the rapid proliferation of churches, describing some as exploitative entities. While the government frames these actions as a necessary push for modernization and professionalization of the religious sector, critics and human rights groups argue the crackdown limits independent social influence. According to Human Rights Without Frontiers, the massive scale of the closures has left millions of worshippers in this predominantly Christian nation traveling significant distances to find authorized places of prayer.