Baha’i Uganda
On my last full day in Uganda, I visited the Baha’i temple located on the outskirts of Kampala. It was constructed about 40 years ago on Kikaya Hill. The temple is beautifully sited atop a knoll and is well landscaped. Like all other Baha’i temples, the domed structure has nine sides (each with a door). Each side represents a major religion or religious leader (no, Joseph Smith is not one of the nine, but Abraham and Christ are). Each continent has just one temple, and for Africa it is the one in Kampala.
The beauty and serenity of the temple and its surrounding environment are in marked contrast the sprawling area that is Kampala, with its noise, air pollution, poverty, etc. For this reason, the temple grounds have become a popular place for those seeking solace and beauty. Or just a pleasant picnic locale.
According to our guide there are approximately 300 members of the Baha’i faith in Kampala, and 9,000,000 in the world. Our guide wasn’t sure about the number of members in Africa. This is the second Baha’i temple that I have visited in the last year. The first was one in North America, the impressive edifice in Evanston, Illinois.