The new Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Rwanda (EAR), Manasseh Gahima, pledged to strengthen unity within the church, improve financial sustainability and expand its role in addressing challenges facing the Rwandan society. Gahima made the commitments on Sunday, October 25, during his installation ceremony held at Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village. He succeeded Laurent Mbanda, who completed his eight-year tenure. ALSO READ: Manasseh Gahima installed as new Anglican archbishop Gahima said his leadership would focus on building a church rooted in Christ, united in fellowship, accountable in its governance and capable of financing its activities while responding to the needs of communities. “My leadership will be characterised by reverence for God, hard work, transparency, accountability, consultation, attentive listening and collective decision-making,” Gahima said. He added that he would strive to become a servant leader, guided by the example of Jesus Christ, while developing a clear vision to address the church’s challenges and promote its growth. Gahima identified five priorities for his tenure: restoring fellowship among Christians to encourage spiritual revival, strengthening unity, building the capacity of church workers, improving financial sustainability and accountability, and transforming the lives of young people and the wider population. ALSO READ: Manasseh Gahima elected Archbishop of Anglican Church He said the church would seek solutions to its challenges through collective efforts, while engaging external partners where necessary. “However, we must take ownership of this work as a Church,” he said, adding that cooperation and faith in God would be important in achieving the goals. The new archbishop also pledged to strengthen relations among bishops, pastors, church workers and Christians, as well as cooperation between the Anglican Church, other religious institutions and the government. He said the church would continue working with the government in areas of shared responsibility, particularly in building a peaceful and prosperous Rwanda and improving the welfare of citizens. “We will also work to maintain good relations and cooperation between the Anglican Church of Rwanda, other faith organisations, the Catholic Church and the government, because we all share the responsibility of building our country,” he said. Gahima said a consultative meeting would be convened soon to establish a shared vision for the Church, while building on the progress made under his predecessor. He praised Mbanda for strengthening the Church during his tenure, saying he had left a strong foundation for the new leadership to build on. “You leave us with a strong foundation upon which to build,” Gahima said, thanking Mbanda and his wife for their dedication and contribution to the church. ALSO READ: “He is humble, relates well with people”: Mbanda on Archbishop-elect Gahima Gahima also thanked his fellow bishops for entrusting him with the responsibility, pledging to demonstrate his commitment through faithful service. Partnership with government During his address, Gahima expressed gratitude to the country's leadership for creating opportunities for Rwandans to contribute to national development regardless of their backgrounds. He said the country's history made such opportunities particularly significant, adding that he was grateful to be entrusted with a senior leadership responsibility in his own country. “I say this with humility and gratitude because, given our history, we would not have imagined that we would one day have a country in which we could live, enjoy our lives and contribute to its development. “God has worked through the leadership of our country to make it possible for someone like me to be entrusted with such a responsibility in his own country,” he said. He also commended the government for its partnership with religious institutions and pledged that the Anglican Church would continue contributing to national development. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva, other government officials and Anglican bishops from different countries. Gahima, 56, was elected archbishop on September 11. He previously served as Bishop of Gahini Diocese and president of the Council of Protestant Churches of Rwanda. He became the fifth bishop of the Anglican Church of Rwanda.
