Makerere University to introduce PhD programs in Kiswahili

Makerere University has expressed strong support for the enactment of the Uganda National Kiswahili Council Bill 2023, revealing plans to introduce PhD programs in Kiswahili starting in 2025.

This announcement was made by Boaz Mutungi, a lecturer in the Department of African Languages (Kiswahili) at Makerere University, during his appearance before Parliament’s Committee on Gender, Labour, and Social Development.

Mutungi highlighted that Kiswahili has been a significant part of Makerere University’s curriculum since the 1930s, initially as a research subject under the former East African Community. Although there was a temporary halt, the university resumed teaching Kiswahili in the 1990s and now offers it at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

With the addition of two more doctoral candidates nearing completion, Makerere will soon have over six PhD holders in Kiswahili, paving the way for the introduction of a PhD program in the language next academic year.The Kiswahili language experts from Makerere University also raised concerns about certain clauses in the proposed bill.

They opposed clause 6(1), which restricts membership of the Uganda National Kiswahili Council to only the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF). Instead, they proposed expanding membership to include all Uganda Armed Forces, thereby allowing other entities like the Uganda Police Forces to participate in the Council.

Moreover, the university urged the inclusion of religious leaders in the Council, pointing out that many schools in Uganda have religious foundations. This, they argued, would be instrumental in promoting the adoption of Kiswahili across the country. “Add one representative from faith-based organizations, for example, through the Interreligious Council of Uganda. Faith-based organizations are key in our education systems since they are the main foundation bodies of most educational institutions,” Mutungi suggested.

While supporting the inclusion of academia in the Kiswahili Council, the experts recommended modifying clause 6(c) to allow two representatives from university departments—one each from public and private universities—ensuring diverse interests are represented. They also stressed that these representatives should possess a Master’s degree in Kiswahili or a related field to ensure informed and technically sound contributions to the Council’s work.

Mutungi defended this proposal by emphasizing the need for technically knowledgeable members who can contribute effectively to specialized Council committees, such as those focused on research, linguistics, translation, and cultural standardization.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Culture, Peace Mutuuzo, defended the enactment of the Uganda National Kiswahili Council Bill 2023, stating that the bill aims to promote Kiswahili in Uganda and strengthen the country’s ties within the East African Community.

“The National Kiswahili Council will also help Uganda fulfill its obligations as a member of the East African Community by establishing a Kiswahili Council to foster the growth of the Kiswahili language. We don’t want Kiswahili to be seen as a language that ‘died’ in Uganda and was only resurrected elsewhere in Africa,” Minister Mutuuzo remarked.

She further assured the public that the Kiswahili Council would develop strategies to increase the teaching and standardization of Kiswahili in Uganda, ensuring the country aligns with the linguistic standards of its East African neighbors.

This development comes as Parliament’s Gender, Labour, and Social Development Committee has recommended allocating UGX10 billion in the 2024/25 national budget to operationalize the Kiswahili Council, which is a regional commitment under the East African Community framework.