The Rubavu District administration has decided to reject the request of Rastafarian followers in the district, who had requested permission to hold protests to denounce Apostle Dr. Paul Gitwaza, who is currently the general director of the Zion Temple Church.‎

 ‎The mayor of Rubavu District, Prosper Mulindwa, announced that the reason they did not allow the Rastas to hold protests was that there was no legally registered Rastas organization in the district.‎ ‎

He said, “We found that there is no known legal entity for these Barastas. The person who wrote it has never revealed anything to us or others. When people have laws that govern their actions, they are safe because they know who is responsible for them.” ‎ ‎

Mayor Mulindwa said that the letter written to the district containing statements that Rastas around the world were upset was “exaggerated,” as there is no evidence that this message reached all those who were asked to express their views.‎ ‎

He also said that, as provided by law, Rastas have the right to use the judicial process to reveal the truth, where they can sue Gitwaza in court instead of resorting to protests.

‎ ‎The Rubavu District Administration also advised Rastas to use the media as a legitimate platform to explain their views and express their truth, just as Gitwaza has also used the media to broadcast his views.‎ 

‎The Rastafarians of Rubavu requested this action after recent statements by Gitwaza, who called the Rastafari religion “the religion of Satan,” caused them sadness and anger.

‎ ‎On November 17, the Rwandan Rastafarian Church in the Rubavu district wrote to the Rubavu district administration requesting permission to travel to protest some of the recent statements made about them by Apostle Gitwaza, who is currently the leader of the Zion Temple church here in Rwanda.‎ 

‎In an open letter, a copy of which is available to Daily Box, the Rastafarian leadership wrote to the Rubavu district asking them to hold a peaceful march in Gisenyi town to condemn Gitwaza’s recent remarks about the cult of Satan.‎ 

‎Apostle Gitwaza, while on December 7, 2024, during an evangelistic campaign in Queensland, Australia, highlighted some of the behaviors that boys and girls in the service of God should not have.‎ ‎

This is where he criticized the singers’ clothing and the fact that some of the male musicians or singers wear dreadlocks, which is inappropriate because it makes them look like members of the Rastafarian religion.‎ ‎

The letter was signed by the leader of the Rubavu district’s Ras, Steven Gakiga, who further emphasizes that Gitwaza’s statements are an ideology aimed at destroying the society of the people in this community and points out that these statements made by this religious worker can cause people to become more open-minded and contrary to the existing truth.