Wise Ugandans should embrace Swahili
SIR — I congratulate WBS TV for introducing a Swahili news programme. The history of Swahili in Uganda is very disappointing on several grounds: <br><li>Swahili is a language used by the armed forces and because of the atrocities they committed in the past since independence, many Ugandans associ
SIR — I congratulate WBS TV for introducing a Swahili news programme. The history of Swahili in Uganda is very disappointing on several grounds:
Swahili is a language used by the armed forces and because of the atrocities they committed in the past since independence, many Ugandans associated the soldiers’ activities with the language. In Buganda, whoever spoke Swahili was considered an enemy or a killer.
In the 60s, there was a serious public debate about our national language since English was known to be the official language. Many Baganda proposed Luganda to be adopted as the national language while non-Baganda vehemently opposed it.
The matter was aggravated by Milton Obote during his first administration, when he recommended Lingala, a language spoken by nationals of the then Congo Leopoldville (now DRC) to be Uganda’s national language. Can you imagine! This was because Swahaili is basically a Bantu language and did not go down well with non- Baganda mainly from the north and northeast.
However, those in the Department of Linguistics at Makerere University will tell Ugandans that several Luganda words are similar to Swahili ones with the same meaning. l call upon fellow Baganda to change their attitude about Swahili, a language of business/commerce and social communication now that the East African federation is around the corner. Several people who were interviewed by WBS staff were full of praise for the programme and some said it was long overdue.
I request newspaper agents in Uganda to make arrangements to import Swahili newspapers for those interested to read, in order to learn the language.
In the 1960s, Ugandans were treated to BARAZA, a Swahili daily newspaper from Kenya, which has disappeared from the stalls. I appreciate that it may not be very profitable but since The Daily Nation of Kenya is selling in Ugandan, any Swahili newspaper will also sell.
It is easier to learn a language if there is reading material. If the trade barriers in the East African region are lifted, many traders will yearn to polish their Swahili as the language of communication throughout East Africa, including Rwanda, East DRC, Burundi and south Sudan.
Kulumba-Kiingi
Kampala
The matter was aggravated by Milton Obote during his first administration, when he recommended Lingala, a language spoken by nationals of the then Congo Leopoldville (now DRC) to be Uganda’s national language. Can you imagine! This was because Swahaili is basically a Bantu language and did not go down well with non- Baganda mainly from the north and northeast.
However, those in the Department of Linguistics at Makerere University will tell Ugandans that several Luganda words are similar to Swahili ones with the same meaning. l call upon fellow Baganda to change their attitude about Swahili, a language of business/commerce and social communication now that the East African federation is around the corner. Several people who were interviewed by WBS staff were full of praise for the programme and some said it was long overdue.
I request newspaper agents in Uganda to make arrangements to import Swahili newspapers for those interested to read, in order to learn the language.
In the 1960s, Ugandans were treated to BARAZA, a Swahili daily newspaper from Kenya, which has disappeared from the stalls. I appreciate that it may not be very profitable but since The Daily Nation of Kenya is selling in Ugandan, any Swahili newspaper will also sell.
It is easier to learn a language if there is reading material. If the trade barriers in the East African region are lifted, many traders will yearn to polish their Swahili as the language of communication throughout East Africa, including Rwanda, East DRC, Burundi and south Sudan.
Kulumba-Kiingi
Kampala