The Speaker of the Senate meets the Legal Representatives of the Protestant Churches working in Burundi

On July 11, 2022, the Speaker of the Senate, Right Honorable Emmanuel Sinzohagera, met the Legal Representatives of the Protestant Churches working in Burundi to discuss the obstacles that undermine their mission and possible ways out, within the compound of the CLM Church (Odéon Palace), in Bujumbura City.

Right Honorable Sinzohagera, in his opening address, indicated that this meeting comes at the right time, especially since the exchanges focus on the capacity of solving the issues facing the Protestant Churches. “When religious denominations are peaceful, the country becomes stable and develops,” he added.

To this end, he expressed the wish of the Senate Institution to see stability and good relations strengthen within the Churches.

The Speaker of the Senate also indicated that this meeting allows them to take a retrospective look to self-assess, resolve the outstanding challenges and thus contribute to the development of the country.

He reminded the representatives of these Churches that they are called to preach by good example and to strengthen social cohesion. “The most ardent wish of the Senate is that good coexistence and promotion of development be strengthened among fellow citizens, and more particularly within religious denominations,” he said.

During the interventions, most of the participants in this meeting insisted on the need to ask for permission from the Government to create the Family of Protestant Churches, FEP in acronym. Other concerns raised included the establishment of a commission to study various issues of religious denominations; the strengthening of unity and social relations within the churches as well as the need for those churches to be represented by people gifted in the matter.

At the end of the discussions, the participants unanimously decided to create the Family of Protestant Churches (FEP) and the Statutes governing it. Shortly after the adoption of these Statutes, those who took part in these meetings set up a Central Office composed of 5 members headed by a General Delegate named Mgr Déogratias Nshimiyimana, and an Advisory Council of 21 members headed by Right Honorable Emmanuel Sinzohagera at the same time Speaker of the Senate and Legal Representative of the United Methodist Church in Burundi.

At the end of this work, the Speaker of the Upper House of the Parliament reminded the representatives of religious denominations to review the content of the bill amending Law No. 1/35 of 31 December 2014 on the organic framework of religious denominations, to propose certain amendments to be made before its analysis and adoption in the Senate of Burundi.

 In addition, Right Honorable Sinzohagera advised the representatives of religious denominations to avoid anarchy, respect the laws, continue to protect themselves against Covid-19 and not consume the meat of livestock to protect themselves against Fever of the Rift Valley.