Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame has renewed his criticism of the country’s fast-growing churches, calling many of them exploitative institutions that take advantage of vulnerable citizens instead of contributing to national progress.

Speaking in Kigali on November 27, 2025 Kagame said some religious groups mislead followers while enriching their founders, arguing that they fail to address real challenges such as unemployment and conflict.

Government regulators share the concern. The Rwanda Governance Board has linked the rise of new churches to leaders seeking financial gain and property through deceptive teachings.

This comes after sweeping enforcement measures: more than 4,000 churches were shut down in August 2024 for failing to meet health and safety standards, and by mid-2025 the number of closed prayer houses had grown to over 7,700, pushing some pastors to operate underground.

Kagame encouraged faith institutions to invest in education, healthcare, and community development, saying true belief should improve people’s lives rather than leave them poorer.

His stance has sparked criticism from those who view the closures as restrictions on religious freedom, but authorities maintain the measures are necessary to curb fraud in a predominantly Christian nation.

Rwanda has taken similar steps in the past, including a 2018 law requiring pastors to hold theology degrees and a 2024 proposal to tax religious organizations accused of exploiting their followers.