Kigali, Rwanda – Grace Room Ministries, once filling giant stadiums three times a week, is among the thousands of churches recently closed by the Rwandan government, sparking outrage and concern across the country.
The evangelical organisation was shut down in May after authorities cited violations of a 2018 law that introduced strict rules on health, safety, financial reporting, and required all preachers to have formal theological training. The law was designed to regulate the rapidly growing number of churches across Rwanda, with around 10,000 closures reported since its enactment.
President Paul Kagame has openly criticized the proliferation of churches in Rwanda, questioning their role in national development. “If it were up to me, I wouldn’t even reopen a single church,” Kagame said last month. “Many are just thieving… some churches are just a den of bandits.”
The vast majority of Rwandans identify as Christian, and the closures have forced many to travel long distances to find a place to pray. Observers say the real motive may be political control, with critics noting the government’s intolerance for organisations or individuals that gain significant influence.
The 2018 regulations require churches to submit annual action plans aligning with “national values” and to channel all donations through registered accounts. Pastor Sam Rugira, whose two churches were also shut down last year, said the rules disproportionately affect new evangelical churches that have “mushroomed” in recent years.
Some analysts tie the crackdown to Rwanda’s historical trauma. Ismael Buchanan, a political science lecturer, noted that churches could sometimes act as “a conduit of recruitment” for the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Hutu militia formed in exile after the 1994 genocide. “It makes no sense to have a church every two kilometres instead of hospitals and schools,” he added.
Despite the closures, many pastors, including Rugira, argue the government should work with churches to remove “bad apples” rather than imposing blanket bans. They stress that churches play a vital role in community support and healing, particularly in the post-genocide era.
The closure of Grace Room Ministries, which drew massive crowds to the BK Arena in Kigali, has become a symbol of the tough stance the government is taking against religious organisations it views as increasingly powerful and unregulated.
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