Among its achievements over the past century are more than 1,300 schools, including 853 nursery schools, 258 primary schools, 137 secondary schools, and three universities.
The church also takes pride in having established three hospitals, 18 health centers, hotels, business buildings, and other infrastructure that benefit the Rwandan community.
Archbishop Mbanda, who is in his final year of service, told IGIHE that he is grateful for how he has used the power God gave him to advance the Gospel in Rwanda.
'When I began, we had 1.2 million followers, that number has grown. During my time as Archbishop, we also established two new dioceses: Karongi and Nyaruguru. We thank God for that,' he said.
Archbishop Mbanda, who turned 71 on October 25, 2025, recalled that when he succeeded Rwaje, who had laid the foundation for the Gasabo Diocese, much still needed to be done.
He said that progress has been remarkable, from 2,903 congregants to more than 9,000 today.
'In Gasabo Diocese alone, we have built 22 well-constructed nursery schools and 14 modern churches. When I first came to Kibagabaga, it was hard to find a proper path or structure, but today we have a beautiful cathedral and the impressive Trinity Corner and Trinity Plaza, which generate income to sustain our mission,' he added.
Another milestone is the completion of the Anglican Church of Rwanda's new headquarters in Kibagabaga, moving from its former location in Remera. The site also includes the Archbishop's official residence, which, though he does not occupy it, generates 5 million Rwandan francs per month.
'In Kibagabaga, we now have two-story buildings. It's a sign of growth in infrastructure, in the number of followers, and in the spread of the Gospel,' said Archbishop Mbanda.
Advancing healthcare
The Anglican Church of Rwanda operates three major hospitals: Gahini Hospital in Kayonza District, Shyira Hospital in Nyabihu District, and Kigeme Hospital in Nyamagabe District, in addition to various health centers and clinics.
Archbishop Mbanda highlights his involvement in the establishment of two health centers during his leadership, which continue to contribute to the improvement of Rwandans' health.
Two of the three Anglican Universities founded under his leadership
The Anglican Church of Rwanda has prioritized high-quality education. Today, it operates three universities, including Muhabura Integrated Polytechnic College in Musanze District, which opened in 2014 and currently has around 4,000 students.
Other institutions include Hanika Anglican Integrated Polytechnic (HAIP) in the Southern Province, offering various programs up to Bachelor's degree, and East African Christian College (EACC).
While launching business facilities at EACC, Archbishop Mbanda expressed his pride in having helped establish two of these universities: "By God's grace, we have built excellent infrastructure and now seek the capacity to ensure their sustainability," he said.
The new building at EACC will cost $1 million (over 1.4 billion Rwandan francs). It will include 16 classrooms, two large lecture halls for 160 students, 16 spaces for businesses, and 18 rooms for offices and storage, all to be completed within nine months.
Archbishop Mbanda mentioned that EACC's initial goal was to have between 4,000 and 6,000 students by 2026, and they are already on track to reach 4,000 students.
'The academic programs we envisioned at that time, including business, theology, education, and medicine, are now in place and functioning. We also started a program to train early childhood education teachers, which has been successful. Our infrastructure plans have also come to fruition.'
EACC is led by Dr. Papias Musafiri Malimba, former Minister of Education in Rwanda. He shared that the university has plans to expand its capacity to 6,000 students, with plans to further develop the campus, including equipping the medical laboratory and increasing dormitory spaces.
'We plan to establish a model primary school. Today, we have a nursery school that will support our students studying education at the university. We are also seeking approval for eight new programs, five at the undergraduate level and three at master's level,' he added.
28 years without support from Canterbury
For years, the Anglican Church of Rwanda, along with other GAFCON churches, followed Gospel principles distinct from the Church of England, particularly after Canterbury supported actions like blessing same-sex unions. This shift raised concerns about potential financial struggles, as it was believed Canterbury provided financial support.
When asked about how they would survive, Archbishop Mbanda responded: " As far as I know, since 1997, we have not received any funding from Canterbury. The Anglican Church of Rwanda has reached a point where it must be self-sustaining, and that's how it is."
The Church headquarters is self-sustaining, and dioceses are reaching the same level of independence. That is why we encourage our congregants to work hard to support themselves. There's no loss in what we have done.
This message extends even to non-Anglican Christians, as Archbishop Mbanda stated: "All Rwandans must work hard and support themselves rather than waiting for charity."
When Archbishop Mbanda assumed his new responsibilities succeeding Onesphore Rwaje on January 17, 2018, the Anglican Church of Rwanda relied on small contributions from donors, typically around $4,000 or $3,000 at the national level.
"Today, we never rely on those small amounts. We now generate over 150 million Rwandan francs monthly through the infrastructure we have built. For example, the EACC university generates over 200 million Rwandan francs, which can help support its mission."
IGIHE
