Which should be the national language?
SIR— I wish join the current debate on the proposed national language, especially to Mr K. Ayaa’s assertion in <i>The New Vision</i> of December 8 that Luganda cannot be the obvious national language.
SIR— I wish join the current debate on the proposed national language, especially to Mr K. Ayaa’s assertion in The New Vision of December 8 that Luganda cannot be the obvious national language.
I have been waiting to read in the press that if Uganda became a federal republic, then each state would adopt a language of their choice. So Buganda’s language would obviously be Luganda.
Those proposing Luganda as a national language should remember that every tribe in Uganda has its language and culture. Some quick examples are Baganda, Bagisu, Sabiny, Karimojong, Iteso, Acholi, Bakiga, Banyoro, Batoro, Banyankore, Bakonzo, Badama, Basamya, Banyole, Alur, Lugbara, Madi and many others.
If I may ask, which of these tribes is about to sell its birthright and accept to speak that of another tribe as the national language?
We should at least promote international languages like Kiswahili and English for official purposes.
James Mulebeke
Pallisa
SIR— For a long time, the issue of Ugandans having a national language (whatever this means) has been a thorny topic. Many have argued that we should have in our statutes one language which is legally national. The arguments have centred on Swahili, Luganda and sometimes English.
I don’t know what the White Paper proposes since I have not even seen a copy of this document. However, I am totally opposed to the idea of forcing people to speak languages if they do not wish to do so. Languages are passed on to us by our relatives, particularly the mothers. If you legislate for a national language, what do we do with our mother tongues? Let people speak whatever language is convenient to them at a particular moment. A so-called national language will evolve on its own with time. In many situations, such a language will be that one which is most commonly used in trade and commerce. English, for example, is the language most used internationally because most trade deals are made in English and London and New York in particular, are centres of world trade. Why should an Acholi, for example, be forced to speak Luganda? Why should a Muganda be forced to speak Swahili? I have been to almost all corners of Uganda and managed to communicate in English without any difficulty.
Turning to Swahili, in 1987 armed men raided our Bukesa home in the middle of the night speaking all sorts of funny, if not stupid, words in Swahili, raped my 14-year-old sister, killed my uncle who had visited us before ransacking the whole house and fleeing. Would you expect me to lover such a language? I swear I will never learn Swahili and will dare anyone to come to my home in future to force me to speak it.
As for Luganda, I would not want my mother tongue to be legislated into a national language for three reasons. Firstly, it will increase the existing prejudice and hatred by other tribes towards us Baganda. Secondly, my dear language will be ‘murdered’ by the people from other tribes through improper pronunciation, grammatical errors and even bad accents as the foreigners struggle to learn and use it. Thirdly, we Baganda will be totally exposed if everybody can understand what we are saying any time. We shall not be able to keep secrets among ourselves exclusively. We shall not be able to backbite non-Baganda, for example, yet they will able to do so.
I hasten to add, however, that I have no problem with a person from another tribe speaking Luganda if that person wishes, because in such a case he or she will be keen to master the language and speak it properly.
We should stop this nonsense of a national language, use our parliamentarians’ time on other important issues and save costs of teaching the people the so-called national language. Period.
J. K. Mutaawe
Kampala
SIR— When will Ugandan politicians shed off their colonial skins? How can someone in his religious, cultural mind recommend Swahili, a language used by human right abusers from the Arab slave traders to the present, urge that Swahili be the national language of Uganda?
It doesn’t surprise me that the strongest most used English word ‘Sorry’ is not in the Swahili vocabulary.
For those who believe Swahili is an investor sweetener, South Africa, which by the way constitutionally recognises the major local languages is the leading destination for foreign direct investors in Africa.
I urge the Ministry of Education and Sports to have all the foreign education material converted to Luganda which is going to create more local jobs.
Benon Kayongo
UK
I have been waiting to read in the press that if Uganda became a federal republic, then each state would adopt a language of their choice. So Buganda’s language would obviously be Luganda.
Those proposing Luganda as a national language should remember that every tribe in Uganda has its language and culture. Some quick examples are Baganda, Bagisu, Sabiny, Karimojong, Iteso, Acholi, Bakiga, Banyoro, Batoro, Banyankore, Bakonzo, Badama, Basamya, Banyole, Alur, Lugbara, Madi and many others.
If I may ask, which of these tribes is about to sell its birthright and accept to speak that of another tribe as the national language?
We should at least promote international languages like Kiswahili and English for official purposes.
James Mulebeke
Pallisa
SIR— For a long time, the issue of Ugandans having a national language (whatever this means) has been a thorny topic. Many have argued that we should have in our statutes one language which is legally national. The arguments have centred on Swahili, Luganda and sometimes English.
I don’t know what the White Paper proposes since I have not even seen a copy of this document. However, I am totally opposed to the idea of forcing people to speak languages if they do not wish to do so. Languages are passed on to us by our relatives, particularly the mothers. If you legislate for a national language, what do we do with our mother tongues? Let people speak whatever language is convenient to them at a particular moment. A so-called national language will evolve on its own with time. In many situations, such a language will be that one which is most commonly used in trade and commerce. English, for example, is the language most used internationally because most trade deals are made in English and London and New York in particular, are centres of world trade. Why should an Acholi, for example, be forced to speak Luganda? Why should a Muganda be forced to speak Swahili? I have been to almost all corners of Uganda and managed to communicate in English without any difficulty.
Turning to Swahili, in 1987 armed men raided our Bukesa home in the middle of the night speaking all sorts of funny, if not stupid, words in Swahili, raped my 14-year-old sister, killed my uncle who had visited us before ransacking the whole house and fleeing. Would you expect me to lover such a language? I swear I will never learn Swahili and will dare anyone to come to my home in future to force me to speak it.
As for Luganda, I would not want my mother tongue to be legislated into a national language for three reasons. Firstly, it will increase the existing prejudice and hatred by other tribes towards us Baganda. Secondly, my dear language will be ‘murdered’ by the people from other tribes through improper pronunciation, grammatical errors and even bad accents as the foreigners struggle to learn and use it. Thirdly, we Baganda will be totally exposed if everybody can understand what we are saying any time. We shall not be able to keep secrets among ourselves exclusively. We shall not be able to backbite non-Baganda, for example, yet they will able to do so.
I hasten to add, however, that I have no problem with a person from another tribe speaking Luganda if that person wishes, because in such a case he or she will be keen to master the language and speak it properly.
We should stop this nonsense of a national language, use our parliamentarians’ time on other important issues and save costs of teaching the people the so-called national language. Period.
J. K. Mutaawe
Kampala
SIR— When will Ugandan politicians shed off their colonial skins? How can someone in his religious, cultural mind recommend Swahili, a language used by human right abusers from the Arab slave traders to the present, urge that Swahili be the national language of Uganda?
It doesn’t surprise me that the strongest most used English word ‘Sorry’ is not in the Swahili vocabulary.
For those who believe Swahili is an investor sweetener, South Africa, which by the way constitutionally recognises the major local languages is the leading destination for foreign direct investors in Africa.
I urge the Ministry of Education and Sports to have all the foreign education material converted to Luganda which is going to create more local jobs.
Benon Kayongo
UK