The professor who took Luganda to Makerere

Apr 21, 2012

Professor Livingstone Walusimbi is the first Ugandan to get a professorship in linguistics.

By Kizito Musoke

Professor Livingstone Walusimbi is the first Ugandan to get a professorship in linguistics. Walusimbi was born on March 23, 1935, from a peasant family of Laban Sekasi and Eva Nagujja of Nakaseke.

He attended Timiina Primary School, Gayaza Primary School, Wampewo and Degeya Seventh Day P/S, where he completed junior secondary.

Thereafter, he joined Aggrey Memorial Secondary School and Busoga College Mwiri, where he got a school certificate in 1956.

He received a teacher’s certificate Grade 111, National Teachers College, Kyambogo in 1958, a certificate in teaching of English as a second language, Leicester University, England in 1962.

In 1969, he got a diploma in teaching of English as second language, from the University of California, Los Angeles. He completed a master’s degree in linguistics from the same university in 1971, and a PhD in the same field in 1976.

Walusimbi joined Makerere University as a tutorial fellow from 1972 to 1975 and was made a lecturer in 1975 in the department of languages.

By that time, there were no Africans teaching at the department and African languages were not taught. This forced Walusimbi to introduce Luganda as a subject taught at university in 1976.

In 1977, he was promoted to a senior lecturer up to 1985, when he was given a title of Associate Professor in the department of languages.

In 1992, Walusimbi was given a prestigious title of professor of linguistics by Makerere University.

Prof. Walusimbi developed the department of linguistics by introducing Luganda, Runyakitara, Ateso and Luo.

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