Amazing Grace FM Head Office in Kigali. Rwanda Media Commission has
ordered a three-month shutdown of a Christian-run radio station, for a
“hateful” sermon against women. PHOTO | CYRIL NDEGEYA | NATION
The Rwanda Media Commission (RMC) has ordered the shutdown of
Amazing Grace FM, a Christian-run radio station, for three months
following a “hateful” sermon against women.
In the
sermon aired live on January 29, a local pastor Nicolas Niyibikora
vented against women calling them “evil” and “against God’s plan”.
The
preaching was widely condemned with the National Women's Association
and Rwanda Women Journalists' Association filing separate complaints to
the media watchdog.
The radio owner, an American
evangelist Greg Schoof, and the pastor were subsequently asked to appear
before the RMC ethics committee on Monday.
Mr Schoof distanced himself from the sermon and asked for more time to review what had been said by the pastor.
“I
am against any kind of language that is against women. The bible
protects and promotes women's rights. But I have not got the entire
translation of the sermon since it was in Kinyarwanda,” he said.
“I
have also been facing a financial crisis and do not have a radio
content manager, but this will be sorted out in the near future,” he
added.
Mr Niyibikora, however, skipped the hearing.
In
the 30-minute sermon, the pastor accused women of causing problems
everywhere saying "Who can say anything good about women? There is
nothing."
“Women we have now in our midst are
prostitutes. Women brought sin into the world and when the world goes
into extinction, it is because of women,” he added.
Apology
RMC ordered the two to apologise publicly, and tasked the radio to hire a content manager before it goes back on air.
"Under
the media law which calls for utmost professionalism and ethical
conduct of journalists and media houses, we found that the sermon was
denigrating women in the vilest manner. Amazing Grace FM neglected its
duty to ensure that its content meets expected standards of free
speech,” said Edmund Kagire, the Executive Secretary of RMC.
The
Rwanda Journalists Association (ARJ) welcomed the Monday decision
saying it was a worthy reminder to media houses on the importance of
self-censorship.
“We are obviously not happy when a
media house fails to protect freedom of speech and professional
journalism standards. The ruling is an example to others…” Gonza
Muganwa, the ARJ Executive Secretary said.
Amazing
Grace FM has previously been warned by RMC for airing provocative
programmes, and has had one of its shows “The Bible and Quran” banned
for inciting hate against Muslims.
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