Referred to by Winston Churchill as the 'Pearl of Africa', Uganda had a troubled 20-year history after independence from Great Britain in 1962. When the notorious dictator, Idi Amin, came to power in a coup in 1971, a reign of terror was unleashed. Over an eight-year period an estimated 300,000 Ugandans lost their lives. In 1972, the 70,000-strong Asian community was ordered to leave the country within 90 days. They left with virtually nothing, leaving behind an economy in ruin. This dilapidated mosque built by the Aga Khan community at Ngora is testimony to that bleak period in Uganda's history.