Kagame Proposes Church Tax. Rwandan President Paul Kagame has announced the possibility of imposing a tax on church collections, a move aimed at curbing the exploitative practices of certain evangelical leaders.
In his first speech following his re-oath as President, Kagame issued a stern warning to religious leaders who misuse the guise of faith to manipulate and extort money from their followers.
“These individuals, who hide behind religion and churches to fleece people of their hard-earned money, may force us to impose a tax on the collections they receive,” Kagame declared, signaling his government’s intent to crack down on financial exploitation in the name of religion.
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This statement comes on the heels of a significant crackdown by Rwandan authorities, who recently shut down approximately 8,000 churches for operating illegally and failing to meet infrastructure standards.
The government’s actions underscore its commitment to regulating the growing number of religious institutions in the country.
Speaking after the swearing-in ceremony of reappointed Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente and new members of parliament, Kagame vowed to intensify efforts against rogue preachers and their establishments.
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“These mushrooming churches are preying on the most vulnerable Rwandans, squeezing even the last penny from them while their leaders grow rich,” Kagame stated.
The surge in Pentecostal churches across Rwanda has raised concerns, with many of these institutions promoting a prosperity gospel that targets the impoverished.
Kagame pointed out that such practices have led to tragic outcomes in other nations, where cult-like leaders have driven their followers to death through manipulation and coercion.
The challenge of regulating preachers extends beyond Rwanda. Last week, Uganda announced plans to release a white paper on regulating worship after reports of clerical extortion.
Meanwhile, in Kenya, courts are currently trying Paul Mackenzie and his followers, accused of brainwashing worshippers into deadly fasting.
In Rwanda, the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), responsible for overseeing religious organizations, revealed that 59.3% of the over 13,000 churches inspected in the last month have been closed due to non-compliance with regulations.
“We carried out routine inspections and gave these churches ample time to comply, but when they failed, we had no choice but to shut them down,” stated Usta Kaitesi, CEO of RGB.
Kagame’s tough stance reflects a broader regional effort to regulate religious institutions and protect citizens from financial exploitation under the guise of faith.
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