President Paul Kagame has indicated that the government will review the suspension of the early morning Adhan, raising prospects for its reinstatement through loudspeakers after concerns from the Muslim community.
The assurance was given during an engagement with Muslim faithful at BK Arena in Kigali on March 26, where participants highlighted the impact of the ban on collective worship and adherence to Islamic practices.
The President acknowledged the concern, noting that the issue would be examined, with the possibility of restoring the dawn call to prayer. He suggested that the early morning timing of the Adhan aligns with daily routines and does not present a complex challenge.
The Adhan, a central practice in Islam, precedes each of the five daily prayers and serves as a call to worship, particularly for believers living near or far from mosques.
Its early morning broadcast has been suspended since March 2022, when the Rwanda National Police halted its use via loudspeakers, citing noise pollution concerns in line with Law No. 68/2018 of August 30, 2018.
While prayers themselves were never prohibited, mosques were required to stop amplifying the call externally due to its potential disturbance to surrounding communities.
The latest remarks by the President point to a possible policy adjustment as authorities seek to balance religious freedoms with public order and noise regulations.
