Bishop Manasseh Gahima has been elected Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Rwanda (EAR), succeeding Archbishop Laurent Mbanda, who has led the church since 2018.
Bishop Gahima, 56, was elected on Friday, September 11, by the Anglican House of Bishops, which comprises bishops from the church’s 13 dioceses. He currently leads the Diocese of Gahini and is president of the Council of Protestant Churches of Rwanda.
He defeated Bishop Assiel Musabyimana of Kigeme Diocese in an election held in a private meeting of the bishops. His consecration ceremony is scheduled for October 25 at Camp Kigali.
The two candidates qualified for the position after meeting the church’s requirements, including being aged between 55 and 60 and having served as diocesan bishops for at least five years.
Bishop Gahima was enthroned as the second bishop of Gahini Diocese in 2019, after serving as its assistant bishop. He was consecrated assistant bishop on May 28, 2017.
Born on December 12, 1970, to Pheneas Gahima and Donatille Mukarutabana, Bishop Gahima grew up in Uganda after his family fled Rwanda as refugees.
He attended Kasonga Primary School in Hoima District before joining Kololo Secondary School and St Andrea Kahwa’s College for his secondary education.
He later obtained a Diploma in Secondary Education from NTC Kakoba Campus of the then Institute of Teacher Education Kyambogo (ITEK), before earning a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Umutara Polytechnic, now part of the University of Rwanda.
Bishop Gahima also holds a master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Kabale University and a master’s degree in theology from Wycliffe University. He later obtained a PhD in theological studies from the same university, graduating in 2018.
Before rising to senior church leadership, he worked in Rwanda’s local government administration from 1996, serving in various capacities. He later held several administrative positions in Gahini Diocese.
Bishop Gahima is married to Rose Dusenge Gahima.
Gahini Diocese
Gahini Diocese was established in May 1997 after being carved out of the former Byumba and Kibungo dioceses. Its Anglican history dates back to 1925, when Christian missionaries established a mission station in Gahini.
Bishop Gahima succeeds Archbishop Mbanda, 71, whose tenure was extended after reaching the church’s customary retirement age of 65.
