GASABO - Bishop John Ruchahana has challenged religious leaders to take the lead in the peace and reconciliation process. He said this Friday in a press conference held at Top Tower Hotel in Kacyiru.

The Bishop said that a big percentage of Rwandans belong to religious denominations, adding that if Religious leaders had been united and played their role in preaching hope, the government’s work would be simplified.

"Be they ministers or local non-governmental organisation leaders, they are influenced by what they believe,” he said.

"For instance, if a person is made to believe that corruption is bad, there wouldn’t be routine campaigns about it.”

The Bishop said that all organisations meant to protect people, including churches and the police, deserted and killed them during the Genocide.

"The only way to overcome this ruined history is through showing Rwandans how valuable they are in the presence of God. Yes, we can’t change a thing about what happened in 1994 but we can determine the future,” he said.

He urged religious leaders to participate in solving the country’s problems, including poverty, Genocide ideology and Family Planning.

Bishop Ruchahana credited, a local organisation, Hope Rwanda, for having taken a big step in uniting pastors to work towards the same goal.

"Without hope, the present is destroyed. Pastors should carry the burden of restoring it,” emphasised Pastor Andrew Palau, A Hope Rwanda partner.

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