Africa-Press – Rwanda. The CEO of Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), Doris Picard Uwicyeza, has shed light on the suspension of a popular religious gathering at a shrine known as Kwa Yezu Nyirimpuhwe in Ruhango District, reiterating that it is only a temporary measure.
RGB temporarily suspended the Catholic monthly and annual prayer gatherings at the shrine, on May 17, citing concerns over public safety following reports of incidents of overcrowding and injuries.
The decision was officially communicated in a letter addressed to Bishop Balthazar Ntivuguruzwa of the Catholic Diocese of Kabgayi. The letter cites a stampede that occurred during an April 27 gathering that drew massive crowds far exceeding the venue’s capacity.
Following an assessment conducted on the attendance and organization of their prayer gatherings in Ruhango District, Southern Province, RGB found that the venue lacked adequate safety measures for the worshippers.
On Sunday, Uwicyeza provided more clarification on the shrine’s suspension, stressing that the focus is solely on large public gatherings and not on the church or faith activities in general.
“If you read the letter, it is made clear that it is the monthly public gathering that’s been temporarily suspended pending the establishment of safety measures,” Uwicyeza wrote on X, replying to a user who had asked the rationale behind RGB’s decision.
Catholic Church believers during a monthly prayer known as Kwa Yezu Nyirimpuhwe in Ruhango District. Courtesy
She noted that the gatherings usually draws thousands of people who undertake a 13-kilometre pilgrimage to the shrine, often arriving exhausted and without adequate support.
“At the last gathering, a dozen people were injured. The safety and security of Rwandans is our top priority,” Uwicyeza said.
She emphasized that the suspension aims to create space for new safety protocols, especially for the most vulnerable participants such as children, the sick, and the elderly.
“We need to work together to ensure that the next public gathering is conducted safely. We cannot afford to risk [even] a single life,” she added.
Uwicyeza acknowledged that some worshippers may have developed a “legitimate expectation” for the gatherings to continue, given their regularity and spiritual significance. However, she said such expectations cannot override public interest or existing laws.
“Legitimate expectation, though not codified in Rwandan Law, in other jurisdictions, is a procedural fairness expectation based on an express promise or consistent practice by the public authority and it cannot be granted contrary to the law or to public interest,” Uwicyeza explained.
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