Dr. Frank Habineza Appeals for Reopening of Churches and Mosques Meeting Standards

Dr. Frank Habineza, the President of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR), has called on the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) to permit the reopening of churches and mosques that comply with the established regulations.

In a press conference held on Sunday, November 30, following a General Assembly meeting of the DGPR, which brought together representatives from the Western Province districts, Habineza highlighted the need for an evaluation of the places of worship that meet the RGB’s requirements to facilitate their reopening. He stressed that this process should be conducted thoughtfully rather than in haste.

“We do not support disorder; the guidelines have been set forth, and the RGB has communicated these to us. We urge the team responsible for closures to assess whether the necessary criteria for reopening have been fulfilled,” he stated.

Habineza shared a personal experience from Gatsibo district, where he recently had to travel over 20 kilometers to find a venue for a wedding due to the widespread closure of churches.

“It was quite disheartening. Recently, I attended a wedding in Gatsibo, and we found ourselves traveling a long distance in search of a suitable location. We had to cover 20 kilometers to secure a church for the couple. This situation is truly unfortunate, especially considering that many have met the required standards,” he expressed.

In a separate press conference on November 28, President Kagame was asked about the potential reopening of compliant churches. He indicated that even those currently open might need to be closed due to issues of misconduct and dishonesty associated with some congregations.