Translation:
President Paul Kagame emphasized that regulating the operations of churches and faith-based organizations in Rwanda is not intended to persecute them, but rather to ensure they fulfill their responsibilities properly instead of becoming avenues for exploiting citizens.
In 2025, the Rwanda Governance Board introduced new regulations, including a requirement that those wishing to establish faith-based organizations must have a dedicated place of worship and collect at least 1,000 signatures from residents in the area where they intend to operate, among other conditions.
Speaking at BK Arena on March 25, 2026, during a meeting with Muslims in Rwanda, President Kagame explained that the decision to streamline the governance and functioning of religious organizations was meant to provide proper guidance.
He said that “When it comes to religion, setting guidelines on how religious institutions should operate is necessary. Their responsibilities are clear, and no one should oppose them. But for things to work well, those institutions themselves must first function properly and do what is expected of them.”
President Kagame noted that the government introduced oversight measures to improve how religious organizations operate and to prevent individuals from hiding behind religion to exploit citizens.
“The measures put in place by state institutions were meant to stop people, this is not only among Muslims but across all religions who hide behind religion or churches to pursue personal interests and take advantage of others,” He said.
He compared such actions to illegal roadblocks used to extort money from citizens, saying this behavior has no place in religion.
“It is like setting up a barrier, stopping people, pretending to be something you are not, and taking their property by force. That should not happen in any religion. That is different from persecuting religious institutions.”
He stressed that putting systems in place is about establishing standards that religious organizations must follow in order to protect their followers.
“When you organize things properly, religion should be about guiding and helping citizens. It should not be about taking from people, depriving them of their livelihoods, or enriching a few individuals at the expense of many. Such practices have occurred in different religious institutions, which is why the government intervened.”
President Kagame added that there are standards that faith-based organizations must respect, and that those who create religious groups with the intention of exploiting people will not be tolerated.
“There are rules that must be followed to ensure proper functioning. We must agree on them. Someone cannot start a church in the morning, spend the whole day exploiting people, and by evening disappear without accountability. That is no longer religion; it becomes something else.”
He also addressed criticism from a small group who claim that Rwanda is persecuting religious institutions due to the enforcement of these regulations and the closure of some places of worship.
“They are not many, just a few, who claim Rwanda persecutes religions and churches. Our responsibility, our policy, and our mindset is to put things in the right order. We do not deny anyone peace at all.”
