THE GADDAFI MOSQUE

This mosque was built by the former president of Libya Colonel Muammar Gaddafi as a gift to the Muslims in Uganda. The mosque was opened in 2007 and later changed the title of the mosque from Gaddafi Mosque to Uganda National Mosque in 2013 after the death of Col. Muammar Gaddafi. The mosque sits on 12 acres of land on the hill of Old Kampala.

The mosque sits over 35000 people on Fridays and the Muslim holidays, with this number makes the Gaddafi mosque the biggest worship place in East Africa, Central Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa. The offers a great view of the capital city Kampala with all its seven hills of the city. It is a tourism center and everyone is welcomed irrelevant of ethnicity, religion, political views, and nationalities for both domestic and foreign populations.

 

The mosque sits on the landmark of the 1st British flag that indicated Uganda is a colony of Britain in 1894 after the death of Gerald Portal in London. With its 12 acres, the mosque has a library, a conference hall, an FM radio, and a university college.

The mosque was built with a mixture of cultures both Arab and African cultures, once inside the mosque you will witness the beauty of the mixed cultures from the Arabic writings in the mosque to the designs of other details in the mosque. The mosque is opened every day from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm. apart from Fridays 9.00 am to 11.30 am and then reopened at 2.00 pm after the Friday prayers. 

UGANDA MARTYS’ CHURCH

The catholic martyrs’ shrine also known as the catholic basilica was built in 1973 after 32 young Catholics and Anglicans were burnt alive after they refused to denounce their religions in the court of King Mwanga II in 1886. In 1973 the basilica was built in remembrance of the brave 32 souls.

Since 3rd June 1887. The 3rd June of every year is celebrated to commemorate the pre-Christian heritage spiritually and ancestors. On this day people across East Africa participate in the national holiday which makes the day to be one of the greatly celebrated and participated days in the year other than Christmas and ‘Eid. In 2015 over 2 million pilgrims attend the event at the basilica.

On 18th October 1964, Pope Paul VI canonized 22 of the catholic martyrs and was regarded as saints in the Catholic Church. This basilica was built on the grave of the burnt Christians in 1968 and it was opened to the public in 1975, the basilica is also affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church.

In 1967 the Catholic Church in Uganda built a secondary school near the basilica to teach and keep the memory of the Uganda martyrs. The school is known as Namugongo senior secondary school.