The administrator of Mpanda Commune in Bujumbura Province, western Burundi, threatened on Monday, September 28, 2026, to shut down churches operating in rented buildings and prayer rooms starting next week, citing non-compliance with the law, according to local media.
According to reports, Mpanda Commune has more than 500 churches, a large number of which are reportedly built in poor conditions, while others operate in rented buildings.
SIMILAR : Some Baptist Churches in Burundi Still Struggle to Build Places of Worship Amid Economic Hardships
According to the ABP news agency, Administrator Léopold Ndayisaba reminded religious leaders to maintain a distance of 500 meters between churches in urban areas and 1,000 meters in mountainous areas.
The warning is not new. In September 2022, the Burundian government, through the Ministry of Interior, Security and Development, adopted a law governing religious denominations and gave a two-year deadline for its implementation.
The law requires church leaders to have a bachelor-level education, calls for transparency in the management of church funding, and sets requirements regarding the distance between places of worship.
The official also ordered the immediate suspension of prayer rooms, claiming that some sick people had reportedly died while receiving prayers. However, he did not provide the exact number of people who allegedly died.
Ndayisaba also promised to conduct visits to churches to check whether they are operating in compliance with the law. He urged church leaders to comply with the law while serving as role models in their communities. He also emphasized the importance of teachings focused on changing behavior and contributing to local development, while warning church leaders against delivering teachings that denigrate others.
He also called on religious leaders to contribute to government-prioritized development programs, such as planting avocado and coffee trees on their land, livestock farming, and the program to pave roads in their respective areas.
He urged them not to take up too much of church believers’ time with church activities, but instead to allow them to work on development projects for their families and the country, adding that there can be no prayer without action.
READ ALSO :
Burundi to Examine Religious Teachings and Church Practices in New National Investigation
Rwandan President Paul Kagame Challenges Church Leaders Over Failure to Fulfill Religious Duties
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Qu’il les laisse prier mais s’ils prient en vérité et en Esprit. La prière peut changer les choses. A ce qui concerne là où on prie, lui même peut contribuer pour la construction des bâtiments ( temples) en tant que dirigeant 😀😀😀😀😭