Rwanda Bans Mosques Using Loudspeakers

The majority of the African nation of Rwanda’s citizens are Christians. In fact, Muslims only make up some 5% of them. Still, in the capital Kigali, they are making a lot of noise due to the loudspeakers installed on the towers of their mosques. For this reason, the Rwandan government has now banned mosques in the capital, Kigali, from using loudspeakers during the call to prayer.

“During the churches and mosques inspection in Nyarugenge sector on February 19, 2018, it came to our attention that mosques use megaphones installed on their buildings and this causes noise pollution,” Mr Charles Havuguziga, the Executive Secretary of Nyarugenge sector in the directive.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rwanda?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rwanda</a> bans the use of loudspeakers for mosque prayer calls. <a href="https://t.co/7CRu23Z6cs">https://t.co/7CRu23Z6cs</a></p>&mdash; Talent Ahereza🇺🇬 (@TalentAhereza) <a href="https://twitter.com/TalentAhereza/status/974171277350064128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2018</a></blockquote>

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The call to prayer is done five times per day and residents of the Nyarugenge district, home to the capital's biggest mosques, say they are disturbed by the constant noise. However, an official of the Muslim community has said banning the loudspeakers goes too far, and they have offered to turn the noise down.

The government though, stated that the Muslim community has understood the ban and is now in compliance.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">

The communities near the mosque in Rwanda want the Muslim prayers of using loud microphones to be banned because it is causing noise pollution. I think some Born Again churches should also be done the same. The only safe people here are the Catholic very humble!!!!</p>&mdash; Miriam Acen (@240miriam) <a href="https://twitter.com/240miriam/status/974030502373003264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2018</a></blockquote>

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Mr Havuguziga Charles, a local official stated: "I have found that they have begun to respect it and it has not stopped their followers from going to pray according to their praying time."

Source:

http://ktpress.rw/2018/03/nyarugenge-bans-speakers-on-mosques/