Gahini, an Anglican Diocese in Eastern Province, is one of the religious sites with the potential to draw visitors from around the world due to its significant connection to the East African Revival, a Christian movement that started in the region but reached as far as Europe and Australia.
The revival, which began in the mid-1930s at an Anglican mission station in Gahini, spread throughout eastern and central Africa during the 1940s and 50s, characterised by a wave of testimonies regarding miracles, changed societies, and serious commitment to Christianity.
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Today, dozens of books recount the personal stories of revivalists like John Edward Church, William Nagenda, and Simeon Nsibambi, key figures of the East African Revival, as evidence of God’s work in the region.
Through the years, the impact of the revival has resonated with Christians in various parts of Africa and beyond, a factor that makes some people think that if Gahini is promoted as a touristic site, it can attract many visitors from across the world.
Despite being underdeveloped, the site attracts groups of people from East African countries annually. Speaking to The New Times, Bishop John Gahima of the Anglican Diocese of Gahini, said tourism is existent in the area, albeit on a small scale.
"There are groups of people that visit, many of who are from within Rwanda and regional countries like Uganda and Kenya. This year, we have had about six groups, each comprising 20 to 30 people,” he noted.
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Clerics in Rwanda have been working with the government to examine the place’s potential to become a major destination for religious tourism. Their goal is to expand the site through improved infrastructure, bringing more artefacts, and establishing facilities like libraries.
Gahini Diocese boasts various sites that Christians can find meaningful, including a grass-thatched prayer house where missionaries used to pray and had great encounters with God’s power almost a hundred years ago, among others.
Bishop Gahima noted that at the moment, they are working on better organisation of the place, with an aim of making people to love and understand its significance.
A 2020 study by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) identified about seven religious sites in Rwanda with potential for development. Most of these are Catholic, like Nyundo Cathedral and Ingoro ya Yezu Nyirimpuhwe.
For the Gahini revival site, the study recommended several upgrades, including infrastructure improvements, the creation of a revival play and a restaurant, tree-canopy "glamping” accommodations, and a ropes course and zipline for soft adventure tourism.
An upgraded guesthouse and a Revival Centre inside the oldest church at the site were also suggested.
According to Bishop Gahima, the number of visitors has increased steadily since 2019, and while some visitors give donations, there is no formal revenue generation system yet. He hopes to secure the funding necessary to develop the site further, through infrastructure improvements and the creation of a library and museum.
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"We are currently writing the history of the Anglican Church in Rwanda, and the book will be available next year,” he said, adding that they will also work on gathering journals and documents related to the revival for inclusion in the library.
The cleric also envisions a museum that would display historical photos, books written by those involved in the revival, and other artefacts, with a total estimated budget of $4.7 million USD required to bring these plans to carry all this out.
Nicodeme Nzahoyankuye, a religious tourism promoter and investor with Sion Tours, emphasised the significance of visiting such historical religious sites.
"They can attract many visitors from abroad to visit. Many of the people we have taken to Gahini for a visit were young people. They were excited to know what happened there some years ago,” he noted.
Nzahoyankuye noted that Gahini has the potential to attract international visitors, particularly young people eager to learn. However, he stressed that much work remains to be done in terms of infrastructure development.