It has been a hundred years since the Anglican Church of Rwanda established its first roots on the hills of 1000 Hills. It all began in 1925 with Captain Godfrey’s mission in the Diocese of Gahini.
Thousands of believers later, the Anglican Church of Rwanda comprises a vibrant community of faith with more than 1.5 million believers, more than 1,300 schools, and three hospitals taking care of the people of Rwanda.
Under the leadership of Archbishop Laurent Mbanda, who was inaugurated as the Archbishop on January 17, 2018, the church continues to thrive. As he approaches his last year of service as Archbishop, Mbanda is reflecting on the blessings God has given to the church.
He said, “When I started, it was about 1.2 million believers, and I’m happy to report that the church has grown. We also planted two new dioceses, Karongi and Nyaruguru. It’s all done by grace.”
Growth Rooted in Service
Throughout the last century, the Anglican Church has influenced the social and spiritual landscape of Rwanda. The church has built 853 nursery schools, 258 primary schools, 137 secondary schools, and three universities to support quality education.
The church operates hospitals in Gahini, Shyira, and Kigeme as well as 18 health centers, bringing health services that the government could not offer to communities throughout the country.
Archbishop Mbanda himself assisted in building two new health centers during his term.
Not only has the church built schools and hospitals, but the church has invested in other infrastructure that will help sustain its mission- from hotels to business complexes and rental buildings that can generate income.
The national headquarters at Kibagabaga is a new construction that represents this endeavor. The headquarters is home to the Archbishop’s house, as well as the beautiful Trinity Cathedral and Trinity Plaza, which will help sustain the church’s work financially.
Increasing Tertiary Education
Education remains one of the firmest supporters of the Anglican church. Two of its three Universities were established during the archbishop Mbanda’s tenure: Muhabura Integrated Polytechnic College (Musanze) with over four thousand students, Hanika Anglican Integrated Polytechnic (Southern Province), and East African Christian College (EACC) in Kigali.
EACC, directed by Dr. Papias Musafiri Malimba, former Minister of Education, continues on a steep growth trajectory. A new multipurpose building is being constructed for $1 million (1.4 billion RWF) with 16 lecture rooms, dormitories for 160 students, office spaces, and retail rooms, which will be completed in the next nine months.
Archbishop Mbanda says, “When we began, we thought we would reach between 4,000 students and 6,000 students in 2026. We are almost there.”
A Self-Sustaining Faith
The Anglican Church of Rwanda became self-sustaining when it separated from the Church of England in Canterbury in 1997 to join the GAFCON movement, which champions the authority of Scripture.
Though some feared that such separation would weaken its financial health, Archbishop Mbanda rejoiced: “On the contrary, it made us stronger! We have not received a coin from Canterbury since we became independent. Today, we are a self-sustaining church! Our national office and dioceses have their own income. And we are even encouraging our members to work hard and make their own income.”
Now, the Church has gone from relying on small donations of approximately $3,000-$4,000 monthly to generating over 150 million Rwandan francs per month from its investments and income-generating projects such as EACC, which brings in over 200 million RWF per month alone.
A Heritage of Faith and Vision
As Archbishop Mbanda is about to conclude his ministry, he will leave behind a flourishing church that is spiritually grounded, socially engaged, and financially independent. The Anglican Church of Rwanda began as a small organization in 1925 and has grown into a contemporary church influencing the future of Rwanda. It is a testament to what faith, vision, and unified action can accomplish in one hundred years.
NTAMBARA Garleon
RADIOTV10
