Prime Minister Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva has called on religious denominations to step up efforts to prepare couples for marriage, saying family problems destroy not only the wellbeing and finances of family members but also the nation.
He spoke on Sunday, 25 October 2026, at the installation of Bishop Dr. Manasseh Gahima as the fifth Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church of Rwanda (EAR). Hundreds of thousands of Anglicans attended the ceremony at Camp Kigali.
Archbishop Gahima, previously Bishop of Gahini Diocese, replaces Archbishop Dr. Laurent Mbanda, who led the church for eight years, since 2018. The bishops elected Gahima on 11 September.
The Prime Minister asked churches to keep working with the government to build secure, capable families grounded in Rwandan values, so that Rwandans can live well and contribute to national development.
“It has been observed that the problems breaking up our families undermine household economies and are a root cause of other crimes and conflicts,” he said.
He said building secure families requires cooperation between the government and religious institutions. He asked religious leaders to prepare couples-to-be more thoroughly, and to improve and invest more in the teaching they provide.
“We all want strong, secure families whose members show the good values befitting a Rwandan, so that our country keeps progressing,” he said. “We ask religious institutions to improve and strengthen the preparation of those about to marry, in line with the laws of our country.”
His appeal comes amid growing public concern over rising divorces. The National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda’s (NISR) 2025 Civil Registration and Vital Statistics report recorded 4,479 registered divorces in 2025. Of these, 2,629 were granted by courts in 2025, while the rest were granted earlier but registered in 2025.
President Paul Kagame has repeatedly urged people planning to marry to prepare for the marriage itself rather than spend time on celebrations, to avoid extravagance, and to build their homes on love, consultation and mutual tolerance.
