The government wants religious organisations to stop clerics linked to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi from ministering in the church.

In a research published by the senate on October 3, several catholic priests were pinned for spreading the genocide denial and ideology abroad. It suggests that the church in Rwanda should “contact their partners abroad in order to stop the priests.”

“Catholic priests are in their services and we meet them so often in their capacities,” said Fidel Ndayisaba, the Executive Secretary at the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission.

During the report’s presentation, Mr Ndayisaba said it was the Catholic Church in Rwanda that recommends priests who go abroad.

The report gives an example of Fr Wenceslas Munyeshyaka who was convicted for genocide crimes in Rwanda alongside Gen Laurent Munyakazi, but while the latter is serving his sentence, the former is serving in the church in France.

Other priests cited are Father Thomas Nahimana and Fortunatus Rudakemwa who “are currently running an online newspaper in France where they exhibit their genocide ideology and denial.”

However, Bishop Philippe Rukamba refuted the senate’s allegations, saying that the Catholic Church does not allow genocide convicts to minister.

“There’re no priests convicted for genocide ministering in the church” he said adding that Fr Munyeshyaka is doing so in France because he has not been convicted for genocide crimes in that country.

“Genocide is an international crime. So, although he was convicted in Rwanda, France has not convicted him and as the church in Rwanda, we have no jurisdiction upon a priest in
France,” said Bishop Rukamba, adding that the Catholic Church in Rwanda did not give the priests recommendations to serve abroad.

“We are not the ones who gave them recommendations. They fled the country and started work in other countries,” he said.

He however added that it was common practice for leaders in a host country to inquire about the conduct of the priest from their country of origin, but that “it is informal and the answers we give them carry no authority over the priest in question.”

Dogene Bideli the principal legal adviser at the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide suggests that the crackdown should cover all sectors.

“There are over 40 health workers who committed genocide and are working in hospitals abroad,” he said.

The senate research of 2005/2006 shows rampant genocide ideology and denial cases in Rwanda, but while the 2018/2019 report found minimal cases locally, they were sharply rising abroad. The senate argues that it is fugitives hiding abroad who spread genocide denial, which is a crime in Rwanda.

Over the past 12 years, the National Public Prosecution Authority has sent more than 1,000 Genocide indictments to 32 countries in Africa, Europe and North America, as well as in New Zealand. NPPA notes that France and Belgium have the largest number of indicted suspects counting to more than 80.

However, neighbouring Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have more than 600 genocide fugitives. The prosecution says that the fact that they are at large enables them to spread genocide ideology and denial.