By Kitts D.Mabonga
Kampala
Members of the Uganda National Kiswahili Association have appealed to the government to set up the National Kiswahili Council as a strategic vehicle to deliver their set objectives and mandates.
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The new development came to light last week when a powerful delegation of members paid a courtesy visit to the state minister for culture in ministry of Gender Labor and Social Development, Peace Mutuuzo at ministry in Kampala.
The high-level meeting led by the Chama Cha Kiswahili Cha Taifa Uganda [CHAKITAU] or Uganda National Kiswahili Association Chairperson Dr. Lubuka Yunusu made a brief technical presentation highlighting the achievements and challenges the Association was faced with.
Key issues among them were requesting parliament to set up the National Kiswahili council as a statutory policy body with a mandate to guide the implementation of the activities of the sector.
The presentation to the minister was made by the Association Secretary General, Mukundane Benon who noted with concern that Uganda was not doing well in the use and development of Kiswahili like her counterparts of Kenya and Tanzania which therefore calls for affirmative action to be undertaken as well as fast tracking mechanisms be initiated at both Community and State levels.
The minister was shocked to learn from the meeting that Uganda has so many Diploma and Graduate teachers of Kiswahili numbering to over 4,000 who are ready for deployment but have since remained redundant.
Article 6 (2) of the Uganda Constitution (as amended in 2005) stipulates that “Kiswahili shall be the second official language in Uganda to be used in such circumstances as Parliament may by law prescribe.” Unfortunately, 9 years down the road, the Parliament of Uganda is yet to prescribe any policy guidelines for the operationalization of this important Article.
CHAKITAU and its membership as serious stakeholders in Kiswahili matters in Uganda feel that to-date there are neither transparent processes nor tangible steps towards the formation of the Uganda National Kiswahili Council.
The Slow pace at which Kiswahili issues have been handled in Uganda has been worrying the Kiswahili fraternity, lamented the members who noted that it is worth noting that countries like Rwanda that joined EAC recently have already declared the compulsory teaching of Kiswahili in schools.
In the same vein, the new state of South Sudan which has only joined EAC has already designed a curriculum with Kiswahili as one of the compulsory subjects in all schools.
The head of Kiswahili at Makerere university Dr.Boaz Mutungi said they are optimistic that the ministry and all its stakeholders shall work together in ensuring that Kiswahili issues are given the much desired attention to help Uganda match the growth speed of its EAC member states.
Members Prayers
CHAKITAU humbly appeals to the minister to use her cordial relationships with the aligned ministries to equally legislate for enabling policies for the timely implementation of Kiswahili in Uganda to cope up with our counterparts in the community.
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In response the minister pledged to secure an invitation with the house culture committee such that the delegation from the Kiswahili team can interface with the committee members and effectively present their views for possible action.
‘Am equally concerned about your issues and it’s my cardinal responsibility as your line minister to engage the house committee members for an appointment such that you can be invited to have an interaction with the committee’ noted Hon.Mutuuzo.
She thanked the Association for taking time to visit her office and share that equally high-profile document about the need to implement the operationalization of the Kiswahili language doctrine among its citizens for purposes of taping into the business community in the region which largely speaks Kiswahili as medium of communication.
Great presentation, kiswahili is a good project.
But it should have started in primary so that children get used to it.