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“This is not being done to prevent people from praying but to ensure the safety and tranquility of worshippers,” said Jean Claude Musabyimana, Rwanda’s Minister of Local Government, in a statement to state media.

This marks the first significant crackdown since a law was introduced five years ago to regulate the rapid growth of places of worship. The legislation mandates that churches operate in an organized and safe environment, prohibits the use of loud public address systems, and requires preachers to have theological training before opening a church.

When the law was first adopted in 2018, around 700 churches were initially closed. At the time, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who recently won a fourth term with 99% of the vote, argued that the country did not need such a high number of houses of worship, suggesting that the proliferation was more suited to wealthier nations with the resources to support them.