National President Kagame Says Religion Must Serve Citizens, Not Exploit Them
The BK Arena was transformed into a sea of celebration today as nearly 10,000 Muslims from across Rwanda gathered for a historic consultative meeting with President Paul Kagame. The atmosphere was electric, filled with Kinyarwanda songs of praise and chants of Ndi Umunyarwanda, reflecting a deep sense of national unity.
As President Kagame entered the arena, clad in a white shirt, he was met with a thunderous standing ovation, deafening applause, and cries of “Allahu Akbar,” smiling and waving back at the massive crowd.
While acknowledging the community’s progress, President Kagame used his address to deliver a firm message on the role of faith in society. Recognizing how religion has shaped Rwanda’s history, he emphasized that for the country to reach its potential, religious institutions must lead with integrity.
“Religious institutions and churches must first do what is right,” the President said.
He spoke candidly against the exploitation of followers, comparing some religious practices to “setting up roadblocks and demanding payment.” He explained that the government’s recent interventions in religious sectors were not to violate freedoms, but to protect citizens from “opportunists” who extort the poor.
A Pledge of Support
The President concluded with a strong commitment to the Muslim community’s development projects, particularly their Vision 2050-aligned goals. To the sound of massive applause, he promised that government support for their initiatives would not be delayed.
“This support will not delay beyond this year,” Kagame promised, adding with a touch of his signature accountability: “In fact, when I return, I will ask you what you have done with it.”
The meeting ended on a high note of mutual commitment, with the President reiterating that when the Muslim community progresses, Rwanda as a whole progresses.
Testimonies of Resilience and Growth
Screenshot of Mukarubega speaking earlier today: Starting with just faith, Hadjati Mukarubega Zulfat, is now a prominent businesswoman in the country.
The meeting served as a platform for the community to share their journey of development. Hadjati Mukarubega Zulfat, a prominent businesswoman, shared her “rags-to-riches” story, detailing how she started with almost no capital in the furniture business. After securing a $3,000 loan from the Bank of Kigali, she eventually founded a hospitality and tourism school in 2005.
Today, her institution has graduated 12,000 students, 10% of whom are self-employed. In 2010, she established the Zulfat Foundation to support unemployed youth and survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. “The President is my role model for resilience,” she told the crowd, urging all Rwandans to contribute to national progress.
Restoring Dignity: From “Baswahili” to Equal Citizens
Mufti of Rwanda, Sheikh Sindayigaya Musa says he is glad Muslims in the country are treated with dignity just like any other faith.
The Mufti of Rwanda, Sheikh Sindayigaya Musa, delivered a poignant speech thanking the President for restoring the dignity of the Muslim community. He noted that for decades, Muslims were marginalized and labeled “Baswahili”—a discriminatory term implying they were foreigners from the coast.
“We are no longer marginalized,” the Mufti declared. “We are recognized as equal Rwandans.” The Mufti highlighted the granting of two public religious holidays for Eid, expanded access to higher education producing Muslim professors and leaders, support for the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca through the national carrier RwandAir, and plans to establish a major Islamic Cultural Centre hub currently at the architectural design stage.
The meeting served as a powerful reminder that, for both the President and the community leaders, the true purpose of religion is to unite the nation and drive the development of its people.
