President of Rwanda supports closure of 10,000 Evangelical churches

The Sunday service at the Anglican Church in Kasiru, Rwanda. Photo: The Christian Post/Samuel Smith

On December 30, 2025, Rwanda's President Paul Kagame publicly supported the authorities' decision to close down Evangelical churches in the country, calling such communities a "den of bandits" and accusing their leaders of abuses, reports The Christian Post.

Speaking at a press conference, Rwanda's President stated that the government is acting within the framework of the 2018 law regulating the activities of religious organizations. According to him, many pastors use religion as a cover for personal enrichment, without bringing real benefits to society and the development of the country.

According to AFP, as a result of the new requirements, more than 10,000 churches have been closed in Rwanda. The law requires preachers to have theological education, and religious communities to comply with safety standards, sanitary rules, and financial reporting. It is also stipulated that all donations must go through officially registered accounts.

Kagame emphasized that, in his opinion, the activities of such churches do not contribute to solving Rwanda's key problems. He stated that in the face of economic and social challenges, many religious leaders are "simply stealing", hiding behind faith, and therefore the state must strictly control this sphere.

At the same time, representatives of Evangelical communities criticize the authorities' actions, pointing to the selective nature of the closures and the difficulty of meeting all the requirements. Some pastors and religious leaders claim that the government's measures may lead to restrictions on freedom of religion, despite the corresponding guarantees enshrined in the country's Constitution.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that in Nigeria, Islamists killed a Protestant priest after receiving a ransom.

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