Augustin Nshamihigo

Who is Augustin Nshamihigo?

Augustin Nshamihigo was the first Primate of the Episcopal Church of Rwanda, now called Anglican Church of Rwanda.

Nshamihigo was a military chaplain when he was elected by the synod of Kigali Diocese to be the first bishop of the newly created Diocese of Shyira located in the northern part of Rwanda. He was consacreted on January 14, 1984. Eight years later, he was elected by the House of Bishops of the Province of Episcopal Church of Rwanda, Burundi and Zaire to be the first Archbishop of the new Episcopal Church of Rwanda, then with seven dioceses, Kigali, Butare, Shyira, Byumba, Kigeme, Cyangugu and Shyogwe. He was consecrated on June 7, 1992 at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali.

His controversial role and of the Episcopal Church of Rwanda in the 1994 genocide is attested by his successor, Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini: "A number of Christian leaders during the 1980s and 1990s had previously been military chaplains, giving them close connection to the army. When the 1994 genocide started, many of them cooperated with the army. Even Anglican Archbishop Augustine Nshamihigo was implicated and is still on the run. The church [Episcopal Church of Rwanda] accused him and two other bishops of being errand boys for the government. They made a special tour in 1994 to speak to the media in Nairobi, Canada, England, and the United States, denying during the genocide that there were any killings. The Rwandan Church was corrupt."