Reasons for Rwanda Pentecostal Fire Church Closure

The headquarters of the Pentecostal Fire Church of Rwanda, located in Kibagabaga

While a number of churches around Rwanda have been temporarily closed for not meeting building and operational requirements, the Pentecostal Fire Church in Rwanda has been shut down in particular.

The RGB said it stopped the church’s activities because of divisions and conflicts among Christians, its teachings that misled people and encouraged them not to participate in certain development programmes, and the lack of a complete and qualified administrative structure.

Causes and effects of the problem

When the COVID-19 vaccine was offered to people around the world, especially in Rwanda, starting in 2021, some members of the Umiriro wa Pentekote church did not immediately come up for the vaccination due to feeling suspicious, as in other religions, some had not heard of the program.

Those not immediately protected included Rev. Corneille Ntawuyirushintege, who leads the church and initially stayed at home before the government allowed them to return to the church after the COVID-19 outbreak ended.

Among those who soon heard about the protection plan was Rev. Rukundo Fidel, who was appointed to the church’s leadership.

When the leadership of Pastor Ntawuyirushintege was returned, both pastors apologized as each accused the other of the sin of not taking proper care of all Christians.

The pastors also apologized to the entire congregation and then worked together as before, all sitting at the table in front of the congregation.

Pastor Ntawuyirushintege and Pastor Rukundo started walking in all churches across the country, encouraging Christians to live together, whether protected or unprotected.

Pastor Love Fidel was later fired by the government

Pastor Ntawuyirushintege went on to explain that his colleague Rukundo had disrespected his colleagues by not inviting him to a meeting which he refused to attend and wanted to ask him questions about creating division and separation in the church but he did not answer.

Some time later, Rukundo Fidèle is said to have withdrawn more than Frw18 million from the church accounts in secret collaboration with Kayiranga Jean Bosco, a protected missionary at the time, who withdrew the funds without the church’s authorization. Money.

Another amount of money which is still unclear, the amount and location that the Pentecostal Fire Church continues to demand from Rukundo and Keyilanga, was paid through the road in Bugesela Gashula as part of the location and temple of this church.

Ntawuyirushintege said they called Rukundo and Kayilanga with the intention of explaining to them the disappearance of church funds but the two men refused to attend.

Only Love, under pressure from the police, came forward to show the existence of the 18 million Frw that the church was collecting and loving.

The General Council of the Pentecostal Fire Church Rwanda later told Rukundo and Kayilanga that they were suspended from leadership for these reasons but till now they have not accepted it.

Pastor Rukundo and the committee he appointed in the fight against COVID-19 told the RGB that the church is divisive, which prompted him to protect himself, and that its leadership threatens the people (Christians) in some government programs.

Rukundo, in a telephone interview with Kigali Today, highlighted the divisions that arose from his dismissal from the government, saying: “We have been fighting for about three years over the issue of the protected and the unprotected until they took away the seats in the church (inside the priests).”

When asked about giving money to the church, Rukundo said: “It was an excuse because I didn’t even do it myself because we had a disagreement over the inappropriate use of things and I asked for the money as a ‘fixed deposit’ (locked up) for 6 months because I am the one with the power so there is a reason (to remove him from the leadership).”

Reacting to public criticism of the government, Pastor Rukundo pointed out that some leaders have refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine, which has made Christians refuse to take the vaccine as well, in addition to some people refusing mutual treatment (Mituelle) and identity cards.

Description of Pastor Corneille Ntawuyirushitege

Pastor Ntawuyirushintege Corneille said the conflict among Christians and various allegations against the church began after Rukundo was suspended and he heard that he was accused of embezzling church money.

Explaining the accusations against him, the leader of the Pentecostal Fire Church of Rwanda said there was no government plan to reject and harm Christians (people), starting with the COVID-19 vaccine.

Pastor Ntawuyirushintege said the decision regarding a person’s life is a secret and is his right, therefore no one should stop himself from making sure that he is not doing it and he does not want this to become a conversation that would cause people to pretend.

Pastor Ntawuyirushintege condemned those who were isolated and starved because of vaccination or other divisions, saying the church would expel the person and hand him over to the relevant government agencies just as it did to Rukundo after creating the group of people he knew to be protected.

“You can say vaccination has nothing to do with it, that the vaccinated and the unvaccinated live in peace, even if Rukundo would not have made those mistakes of withdrawing church funds from the account, he is already a pastor, performing weddings and teaching, we have not had any problems,” he said.

This church is made up of Christians from different backgrounds, including soldiers and other security personnel, who are unlikely to split, and since they work closely with the authorities, there are no government programs that they do not comply with and have temples all over the country.

Regarding not taking Mituweli, Pastor Ntawuyirushintege said everyone in the Pentecostal Fire Church of Rwanda has purchased health insurance and those who do not have the means, church members advised him that no one is required to have an identity card.

During the election period, Pastor Ntawuyirushintege visited churches belonging to the church across the country and ordered all Christians to participate in the presidential and House of Representatives elections.

On the issue of incomplete church management structure or unqualified leaders, Pastor Ntawuyirushintege said he had been asking the RGB leadership to meet with him to discuss the matter but they did not give him the opportunity.

He said the Pentecostal Fire Church decided to shut down without any discussion so that its leadership could explain all these allegations which he believed were fabricated.

However, RGB Director General Dr Usta Katesi while highlighting the decision, said Pentecostal Fire Church in Rwanda may be closed permanently, saying: “If you are looking for God, you can’t go wrong with other places to pray.”