On top of Old Kampala hill, stands a magnificent mosque whose construction started in 1972 by Uganda’s 3rdpresident – General Idi Amin. The construction of the mosque came to a standstill in 1976 due to shortage of funds, but 26 years later, the President of Libya, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi gave funding and construction resumed in 2001. Construction of the mosque was completed in 2006.
In the year 2007 Colonel Muammar Gaddafi of Libya commissioned and handed over the mosque to the moslem community of Uganda as a gift, and on the same day, it was renamed Gaddafi National Mosque.
Following the death of Colonel Gaddafi in 2011, the new Libyan administration was reluctant to rehabilitate the mosque under the fallen president’s name, and was subsequently renamed “Uganda National Mosque” in 2013.
The mosque gates and doors are always open to visitors. The architect is so unique with special wood from Congo representing African setting, glass windows and doors from Italy representing European setting, chandeliers from Egypt represent Arab setting and the carpet is designed according to the mosque.
The highlight of the mosque is the high tower with 304 steps which visitors find interesting to climb for an amazing 360 degree view of Kampala city. No better way to see Kampala than from ‘Gaddafi National Mosque’