‘Umuriro wa Pentecote’ Church in Rwanda Closed

By The Inspirer writer.

The Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) has announced the closure of the ‘Umuriro wa Pentecote’ (Pentecostal Fire) Church in Rwanda due to causing divisions and fostering continuous conflicts among its members, disrupting their peace and stability.

This information was conveyed in a letter dated July 30, 2024, addressed to the church’s leader, Pastor Corneille Ntawuyirushintege. The letter from RGB cited an investigation into the church’s activities, revealing reasons such as inciting divisions and ongoing conflicts among its congregants.

Additionally, some of the church’s teachings were found to mislead citizens and discourage them from participating in development programs, negatively affecting the community. Other issues include the church’s lack of legally required structures, its leadership not meeting the necessary legal requirements for religious organizations, and certain practices not stipulated in its foundational regulations.

The RGB statement continued, “Due to these issues that threaten the unity, peace, and stability of the congregants, we hereby inform you that the activities of the Pentecostal Fire Church in Rwanda, including its headquarters and all branches, are suspended effective immediately upon receiving this letter.”

In an interview with IGIHE, Pastor Corneille Ntawuyirushintege denied the allegations mentioned in the letter, asserting that the church leadership had not yet received it.

“Up to now, we have not received this letter either through the church’s email or my phone. We have heard people talking about it, but we have not seen it. Therefore, we cannot comment on what will follow without seeing it first. No one from RGB has contacted us to provide any information on this matter,” he stated.

Pastor Ntawuyirushintege refuted the claims of fostering divisions within the church. “Such things do not happen. Who in this country is unaware of the consequences of divisions? Who would still be a pastor if they did such things? It is the church’s duty to combat these issues,” he asserted.

Regarding the participation in government programs, Pastor Dushimimana emphasized that the church members are also regular citizens and should, therefore, partake in state programs. “We are among the foremost in encouraging citizens to engage in government initiatives, as we openly teach about these matters. I think these allegations are baseless,” he added.

While he has not yet seen the letter suspending the church’s activities, Pastor Ntawuyirushintege believes there should be no reason to halt their evangelical activities, as they love the country and adhere to the law in their actions.

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