Dr Laurent Mbanda, the outgoing Bishop of Shyira Diocese has been elected as the next Archbishop and Primate of the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda, the Church has announced. Mbabda replaces Archbishop Onesphore Rwaje who retires in June, having served since 2010.
Archbishop-elect Mbanda will be installed on June 10, according to the statement from the Anglican Church.
Mbanda, a former vice president of Compassion International, before becoming Bishop of Shyira in November 2010. Mbanda lived for many years in the US, receiving Masters and PhD degrees here before joining the child-focused charity Compassion International, eventually serving there as Vice-President for program development. Mbanda is also the author of From Barefoot to Bishop: A Rwandan Refugee’s Journey.
Mbanda returned to Rwanda in 2005 to “devote his life to the recovery and reconstruction of the country.”
He is said to be passionate about training church people, holistically, to lead transformation in society. In his forst address as bishop back in 2010 he said that he would focus on development projects in order to not only develop spiritually, but also holistically; training the church’s servants and sponsoring education leading to the transformation of the society.
Mbanda was supportive of the Rwandan church’s sponsorship of the breakaway AMiA parishes and membership in GAFCON, so major changes there are not to be expected.
He holds Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Educational studies from Trinity International University which he obtained in 1990 and Master of Arts (M.A.) in Christian Education from Denver Seminary also in the U.S, in 1986.
image: from New Times, Rwanda’s Leading English Daily