Legal framework on freedom of religion and actual application
Article 37 of Rwanda’s 2003 Constitution (amended in 2015) guarantees “Freedom of thought, conscience, religion, worship and public manifestation”. Article 57 prohibits political organisations based “on race, ethnic group, tribe, lineage, region, sex, religion or any other division which may lead to discrimination”.
Article 277 of Rwanda’s Penal Code makes disrupting a religious service an offence punishable with between eight days and three months in prison and fines of 20,000 to 300,000 Rwandan francs. The Penal Code also imposes fines on anyone who “publicly humiliates rites, symbols or objects of religion” (Article 278), or insults, threatens or physically assaults a religious leader (Article 279). People can wear a distinctive head covering in official photos for passports, driver’s licenses, and other official documents if it is part of their religious identity.
A law was passed on 10 September 2018, replacing the 2012 law governing the legal status of faith-based organisations (FBOs). In addition to new dispute settlement procedures for FBOs (Chapter VIII), the new law increased registration requirements; for example, FBOs must have legal personality, which can be obtained from the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) following a particularly complex procedure.
Furthermore, the legal representative of an FBO must meet certain educational requirements (Chapter VI, Article 33) and be “a holder of at least a degree from [a] higher learning institution”. This is part of a plan “to educate Church leaders” and ensure that Churches “have well equipped and competent leaders”, said Rev Dr Charles Mugisha, Chancellor of the Africa College of Theology.
Students in public primary and secondary (grades 1–3) schools must take religious courses that teach about various religions. Parents can enrol their children in private religious schools.
The law addressing religious groups does not include non-governmental organisations (NGOs) associated with religious groups. Domestic NGOs associated with religious groups are required to register with the RGB, but under a different law governing NGOs. The law entails a multi-step NGO registration process and requires annual financial and activity reports and action plans.
Incidents and developments
The country has been ruled since the 1994 genocide by President Paul Kagame. During his tenure, peace has been maintained and the country has grown economically. Opponents allege, however, that political criticism has been suppressed with opposition members at risk of intimidation and violence. The Economist’s 2021 Democracy Index ranks Rwanda 130 out of 167 countries.
The UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report indicates that, in Rwanda, 70 percent of primary schools are managed by Churches. In the Diocese of Karongi, the Anglican Church plans to widen its early childhood development programme by building ten Church-based centres that will serve 1200 children. In March 2022, the Conference of Catholic Bishops decided that education in schools will be the focus for the year 2022–2023.
In September 2021, the government created the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement, which was welcomed by the leaders of FBOs. The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG), Jean-Damascène Bizimana, is the first person to head the new ministry. A former ambassador of Rwanda to the United Nations, he has served at the CNLG since March 2015. The new ministry is aligned with the Churches’ commitment to society. For former Anglican Bishop John Rucyahana, the ministry can greatly benefit from collaborating with religious organisations. Furthermore, the Rwanda Muslim Council’s spokesperson praised the ministry, saying it will provide suitable guidance on Rwandan history and values that should be passed down to future generations.
In October 2021, after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, churches and congregations holding a permit were allowed to reopen for religious gatherings. According to a letter from the Ministry of Local Government, the decision followed repeated appeals from the Catholic Church and Rwanda’s Muslim population.
The Catholic Church continues to make efforts to reconcile with the Rwandan population in the aftermath of the 1994 genocide. Survivors had accused the Vatican of assisting some of the priests and nuns involved in the massacres to escape justice by providing them with shelter in European countries. In 2016, the Catholic Church officially acknowledged and expressed regrets for the role some members of the clergy had played in the genocide. Cardinal Antoine Kambanda, Archbishop of Kigali, also pointed out the importance of truth and how valuable the words of French President Emmanuel Macron were, acknowledging the harm done by France during the genocide. Cardinal Kambanda said this acknowledgement is the first step in the right direction towards cooperation.
In December 2021, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) announced that it planned to open a new mission in Rwanda by July 2022. It already has three branches in the country.
The Rwandan Muslim community celebrated Eid al-Adha in July 2021 under strict COVID-19 restrictions.
In June 2022, the National Liberation Front (NLF), the armed wing of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MRCD), launched an attack in the south of the country that killed two people and injured six more when the bus they were travelling in came under fire.
There are concerns to the activities of rebel groups in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, especially the Allied Defence Forces (ADF). UN experts warned about the links between the ADF and the Islamic State group, noting that communication between the two had increased recently. Furthermore, they also observed that rebels were actively recruiting in central Africa, which is of concern to Rwanda. Another area of intense jihadist activity in Africa is Cabo Delgado, in northern Mozambique, where the Rwandan army, along with the Southern African Development Community countries, is active in helping to stabilise the region.
In June 2022, the United Kingdom announced a plan to fly refugees who enter the UK via unauthorised routes to Rwanda and process their claims in that country. If the latter are accepted, asylum seekers would be resettled in Rwanda. Following a petition on behalf of a number of refugees, the European Court of Human Rights ruled against the deportations. Bishop Paul McAleenan, who chairs the Office for Migration Policy of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, and Archbishop William Nolan of Glasgow, condemned the plan.
Prospects for freedom of religion
Concerns for Rwanda’s human rights record persist. At the same time, confronted by ongoing ethnic divisions, the government works to improve on the country’s unity, as evidenced by the creation of the new Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement, generally welcomed by various religious groups. External challenges also threaten, notably the security situation in neighbouring countries and the threat of extremist militias and violence spill-over. Despite these challenges, the right of religious freedom in Rwanda is generally respected. The prospects for religious freedom remain stable.
Rwanda