The Bishop of Shyira, Dr Laurent Mbanda, has been elected as the next Archbishop and Primate of la Province de L’Eglise Anglicane Au Rwanda – the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda. The election took place this morning during a meeting of the province’s House of Bishops at St Etienne Cathedral Hall in Kigali. He will succeed Archbishop Onesphore Rwaje, who retires in June.

Archbishop Onesphore has served as Archbishop since December 2010. Archbishop-Elect Mbanda will be enthroned on 10 June, and will also become Bishop of the Diocese of Gasabo.

Mbanda, a former vice president of Compassion International, was enthroned as Bishop of Shyira in November 2010. He said at the time that his focus would be to train church people holistically and spiritually to lead transformation in society.

“It is very humbling to carry this responsibility, but one I strongly believe I have been prepared for,” he said in 2010. “I have been in evangelism before, I have travelled to over 65 countries around the world, God will use the experience, I have lived, learnt to serve the people.”

In a statement, the province’s general secretary, the Revd Francis Karemera, said: “The Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda informs her members, all Rwandans, and the entire Anglican Communion, that the House of Bishops, in their meeting held at St Etienne Cathedral Hall on 17th January, in the year of our Lord 2018, elected the Bishop of Shyira Diocese Rt Revd Laurent Mbanda as the new Archbishop of the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda and Bishop of Gasabo Diocese.”

He added: “Please, kindly hold him in your prayers as well as the retiring Archbishop Onesphore Rwaje.”

• Click here for our extensive interview with Bishop Mbanda.