Messages of peace, forgiveness, love and humility dominated New Year prayers as Rwandans ushered in 2016, many with prayers at various churches.

Christians across the country thronged churches on New Year’s Eve, worshiping and praying until early morning to thank God for the fading year.

Clerics focused their New Year’s prayer on the need for sustainable peace and humility in the country and the region, specifically highlighting the political deadlock that has left Burundi unstable since April 2015.

Fr Philippe Rukamba, the spokesperson of Catholic Church in Rwanda, called for peace and forgivingness as the main message to be shared across the nation, with a belief that people will reflect on those lessons to realise the importance of mankind.

"The message we share is global; this month (January 2016) Pope Francis is calling for forgiveness and peace as God’s gift to all mankind, across the world. We pray that our country Rwanda and the rest of the countries in the Great Lakes region will be peaceful, especially Burundi which is going through tough times,” said Rukamba.

Fr Smaragde Mbonyintege, the chairperson of the Catholic Episcopal Conferences of Rwanda, echoed Rukamba’s message, noting that the Catholic Church leaders in the country recently met with their Burundian counterparts in Musanze District to deliberate on how the Church could bring about a return to peace in the neighbouring country.

"As the region, we are so much concerned about the situation in Burundi. In October, we met with our counterparts from Burundi and called on them to engage other stakeholders to ensure peace in Burundi. When there is peace in our neighboring country, there is definitely peace across the region. Peace to be realised, anywhere in the world, people have to respect laws,” said Mbonyintege.

Sustainable peace

Bishop Alexis Birindabagabo, the Anglican Archbishop of Gahini Diocese, said 2016 should be a year of sustained peace through which Rwanda will achieve her development goals.

"We are thankful to God for what he has done for Rwanda, for peacefully going through 2015 and all the years since 1994. We pray that the New Year brings, continued peace, tranquility and prosperity that Rwandans desire to have,” said Bishop Birindabagabo.

He added that as the country conducts local government elections this year, Rwandans should remain calm, focused and united.

"We are also praying for our brothers and sisters in Burundi, calling on the leaders to have the love for their people and calm the situation in their country,” Birindabagabo said.

The head of the Muslim community in the country, Sheikh Ibrahim Kayitare, said: "We wish Muslims and Rwandans in general, a peaceful and prosperous 2016. May Allah protect our neighbouring countries too; because whatever it is they go through, have implications on our country as well.”

Pastor Charles Mugisha, the senior pastor at New Life Bible Church in Kicukiro District, said there were landmark decisions taken by Rwandans in 2015, citing the constitutional referendum.

"We went through such historic events peacefully and we thank God for that, we are looking at 2016 as a year of continuity in all spheres of what we do and believe in. May our vision and purpose, as Rwandans, continue to drive us to our destiny,” said Mugisha, who doubles as the head of Born-again Churches of Rwanda.

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