More than 4,000 churches have been closed down over the last month in Rwanda for failing to comply with health and safety regulations, including not being properly soundproofed.....CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
It has affected mostly small Pentecostal churches and a few mosques – some of them operating out of caves or on the banks of rivers.
“This is not being done to prevent people from praying but to ensure the safety and tranquillity of worshipers,” Minister of Local Government Jean Claude Musabyimana told state media.
It is the first major crackdown since a law came in five years ago to regulate the proliferation of places of worship.
It requires them to operate in an organised way and in safe environment as well as outlawing their use of loud public address systems.
The legislation also compels all preachers to have theological training before opening a church.
At the time, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said the country did not need many houses of worship, maintaining that such a high number was only fit for more developed economies with the means to sustain them.
The authorities say they are taking a tough line as churches have had five years to fully comply with the regulations.
Some of the churches that had been shut down operated in tents, exposing worshippers to risks, Mr Musabyimana said.
The vast majority of Rwandans are Christians but many also follow traditional practices.
Pentecostal churches, often run by charismatic preachers claiming to be able to perform miracles, have grown rapidly in many parts of Africa in recent years.
Some are massive, attracting thousands of worshippers each Sunday, but others are tiny structures built without planning permission...CONTINUE READING>>
