As overseer of the United Methodist Church in Burundi, Bishop Emmanuel Sinzohagera (Ph.D.), Resident Bishop of the Burundi-Rwanda Episcopal Area, accompanied by his wife, conducted a three-day visit to the Kinyinya District from June 13 to 15, 2025. He inaugurated the District House, presented certificates to the sewing graduates, supervised the Kinyinya District Conference, and shared in Sunday worship.
The Kinyinya District House is made of the District Superintendent’s office, various offices for local organizations and departments, and the District Assembly Hall. The inauguration ceremony included a ribbon cutting, speeches, and the signing of the guestbook by the Bishop, followed by the presentation of certificates.
The District Superintendent, Reverend Japhet Nderibicuro, thanked God for this achievement and expressed his gratitude to the Bishop for his contribution and leadership. “Now the Church is beginning to shine according to our theme written in Isaiah 60:1”. These were words of appreciation delivered by Bishop Emmanuel after the inauguration of this building. He added that, in its vision of making disciples of Jesus, the United Methodist Church should also focus on community and infrastructure development, in line with its five-year strategic plan. He commended the Kinyinya District leaders and church members for their collaboration, as unity is a powerful engine for development.
Bishop Emmanuel also commended the sewing graduates for their patience during their studies. Only 20 graduates graduated, with ten dropping out. He encouraged them to establish a cooperative and promised to support them through it.
Afterwards, delegates from all the local churches gathered at the Buhonga district premises for the District Conference. They analyzed the financial situation and voted on the 2025-2026 budget for the Kinyinya District. The delegates also planned their district’s activities.
Bishop Emmanuel expressed appreciation for the conference’s work and provided guidance for the development of local churches. He also shared with them information on regionalization, which will be ratified by the Burundi Annual Conference in August. “Regionalization is a good thing for The United Methodist Church because we will fulfill God’s mission in our own context and culture,” said the bishop.
The Sunday service was held at the Buhonga parish and was attended by over 2,000 people. It was an opportunity for Bishop Emmanuel to congratulate the three United Methodist Church MPs elected in Buhumuza Province.