KIGALI, Rwanda, 25th October, 2026 — Korede Akintunde
In an atmosphere of thanksgiving, worship, and jubilation, the Most Revd Dr. Manasseh Gahima was formally installed today as the Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church of Rwanda (Église Anglicane du Rwanda) and Bishop of the Diocese of Gasabo.
The consecration and enthronement service which was monitored by ACNNTV from Abuja, Nigeria, drew thousands of worshipers, ecumenical guests, and high-ranking ecclesiastical dignitaries from around the globe. The ceremony took place at Camp Kigali and was attended by Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva, other government officials, and Anglican bishops from different countries around the world.
A central highlight of the liturgy was the symbolic handing over of the pastoral staff (crozier) by the retiring Primate, the Most Revd Dr. Laurent Mbanda, who has served at the helm of the Rwandan province since 2018. The exchange marked both the culmination of Archbishop Mbanda’s tenure and the dawn of a new leadership chapter for the church. Archbishop Mbanda continues his wider global leadership as Chairman of GAFCON (Global Anglican Future Conference / Global Anglican Council). During the proceedings, Mbanda expressed gratitude to God for the opportunity to lead the church and handed over his responsibilities to his successor.
He said he was relinquishing the episcopal office willingly and with joy, while emphasising that stepping down from leadership did not mean leaving Christ or the Church of God.
Gahima subsequently took an oath, pledging to serve the church faithfully and with humility, before signing the document to confirm his commitment.
The outgoing archbishop handed him the pastoral staff of the Diocese of Gasabo before the new leader was formally seated in the Archbishop’s chair, marking his assumption of leadership.
Mbanda also handed over the pastoral staff of the Anglican Church of Rwanda and presented Gahima to the congregation alongside other bishops.
In his sermon delivered during the installation ceremony of the new Archbishop, the Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba, Primate of the Church of Nigeria, emphasized the importance of maintaining focus on Jesus Christ while carrying out the demanding task of leadership and shepherding the Church.
He reminded the new primate and the congregation that leadership is a sacred trust and a calling. He urged them to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus, noting that what a person constantly focuses on shapes their thoughts and actions. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, he highlighted that ministry is not about persuasive human wisdom or speech, but about the demonstration of the Spirit and the power of God. He encouraged the new leader to rely on the help of the Holy Spirit to navigate the ministry and not to be distracted by the storms that would come.
Archbishop Ndukuba praised the outgoing Archbishop for his service and encouraged the congregation to support and lead alongside the new Primate, advising them not to compare the new leader with the previous one. He recognized the new Archbishop as a man desiring God’s help, urging him to remain focused and not allow distractions to hinder the work God has called him to accomplish .
He concluded by grounding his message in the hope of the eternal kingdom, looking toward the day when saints from all nations are gathered in the presence of Jesus.
Archbishop Gahima was warmly welcomed into the fellowship of global primates by senior conservative Anglican leaders present at the altar. Among them were Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba (Uganda), Archbishop Henry Ndukuba (Nigeria), Archbishop Miguel Uchôa (Brazil), and Bishop Julian Dobbs (Acting Primate of the Anglican Church in North America), alongside other international leaders from the Global Anglican Communion.
Addressing the congregation, the newly installed Archbishop was committed to the prayers of the faithful to preach the Word of God boldly, shepherd the province with humility, and advance the church’s evangelical and community mission across Rwanda’s dioceses.
The Most Revd Dr. Manasseh Gahima was born in December 1970. He spent much of his childhood and early youth in Uganda after his family fled Rwanda as refugees.
He holds a teaching diploma from the Institute of Teacher Education Kyambogo (Uganda), a Bachelor of Commerce from Umutara Polytechnic, a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Kabale University, and both a Master of Theology (MTh) and a PhD in Theological Studies from Wycliffe University.
Prior to his full-time ecclesiastical leadership, he served in education as deputy headmaster overseeing Anglophone studies at Lycée de Kigali. He also worked in public administration, serving as bourgmestre (mayor) of Karangazi and later Gabiro communes in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
He entered parish ministry in 2005 and served in senior administrative roles in the historic Diocese of Gahini. Consecrated as an assistant bishop in 2017 and subsequently enthroned as the second Diocesan Bishop of Gahini in May 2019, where he served for over seven years. Elected Chairperson/President of the Council of Protestant Churches in Rwanda (CPR) in March 2026. Elected by the House of Bishops on September 11, 2026, to succeed Dr. Laurent Mbanda as Archbishop of Rwanda and Bishop of Gasabo. He is married to Rose Dusenge Gahima, and they are blessed with children.
The Anglican Church of Rwanda (Église Anglicane du Rwanda) operates under an episcopal system of church governance, synodically structured across 13 geographical dioceses.
The provincial leadership rests with the House of Bishops, headed by the Archbishop and Primate, who concurrently serves as metropolitan of the province and diocesan bishop of the host See (traditionally the Diocese of Gasabo).
Historically, Anglican work in Rwanda grew out of the Church Missionary Society and the East African Revival in Gahini during the 1920s and 1930s. Originally part of the joint Province of the Episcopal Church of Rwanda, Burundi, and Boga-Zaire, Rwanda became an independent, self-governing province of the Anglican Communion in 1992.
Archbishop Manasseh Gahima is the 5th Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church of Rwanda. Exactly four archbishops led the province before him:
1. The Most Revd Augustin Nshamihigo (1992–1995) – Installed as the very first Primate when the Anglican Church of Rwanda was inaugurated as an autonomous province in 1992. He led the church through the tumultuous period leading into and through the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
2. The Most Revd Emmanuel Mbona Kolini (1998–2011) – Served as the second Primate for over a decade. His tenure focused on church reconstruction, peace-building, and reconciliation following the genocide, as well as extending theological oversight through the Anglican Mission in the Americas (AMiA).
3. The Most Revd Onesphore Rwaje (2011–2018) – Elected as the third Primate after previously serving as Bishop of Byumba. His term emphasized community development, church sustainability, education, and early childhood interventions across Rwandan communities.
4. The Most Revd Dr. Laurent Mbanda (2018–2026) – Elected fourth Primate from the Diocese of Shyira. He oversaw the expansion of dioceses, strengthened financial self-reliance, and elevated the province’s leadership in conservative global Anglicanism, culminating in his role as Chairman of the Global Anglican Council (GAFCON).
In September after his election, he said he planned to visit all dioceses, listen to their leaders and members, and work with them to identify priorities and address challenges.
Gahima also identified pastoral work, Bible teaching and the development of the church as key areas of focus.
He acknowledged that succeeding Mbanda would be a significant responsibility, citing the foundation his predecessor had built during his tenure.
“Succeeding Archbishop Mbanda is hard. In a short time that he was the archbishop in the Anglican Church, he has changed so much, especially the capability of the church. He has left a strong foundation that I will build on,” Gahima said. He added that he would continue seeking Mbanda’s advice and support.
Korede Akintunde writes from Abuja, Nigeria.
