In his first address after taking the oath of office for his new term, President Kagame criticized certain church leaders who, under the guise of religious leadership, engage in unethical practices to “squeeze money” from their congregants. He condemned these individuals, accusing them of using religion as a cover to fleece people of their hard-earned money. Kagame made it clear that the government would not tolerate such practices, stating that the introduction of a tax on church collections would ensure that churches are held accountable for the money they receive from their followers.
“These unscrupulous people who use religion and churches to manipulate and fleece people of their money and other things will force us to introduce a tax, so churches pay tax on the money they get from people,” Kagame remarked during his speech.
Wider crackdown
The proposed tax comes amid a wider crackdown on religious institutions in Rwanda, particularly those that operate without proper legal and infrastructural compliance. Rwandan authorities recently closed down approximately 8,000 churches across the country for failing to meet the required standards. According to the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), the regulatory body responsible for religious organizations, around 59.3 percent of the more than 13,000 churches inspected last month were found to be non-compliant and subsequently shut down.
Kagame emphasized that the crackdown is particularly aimed at rogue preachers and churches that exploit the poor. He pointed out that many of these churches, often founded on prosperity gospel teachings, attract impoverished followers with promises of wealth and prosperity. However, the reality, he said, is that these churches are merely a means for their leaders to enrich themselves at the expense of their congregants.
“If truth is to be told, these mushrooming churches are just there to squeeze even the last penny from poor Rwandans, as those who own them enrich themselves,” Kagame stated.
The president’s comments come at a time when other East African nations are also grappling with the challenge of regulating religious institutions. Uganda recently announced plans to publish a white paper on regulating worship after reports of extortion by clerics. Meanwhile, in Kenya, courts are trying Paul Mackenzie and his followers for allegedly brainwashing worshippers into deadly fasting.
