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17.07.2009 Letter

Luganda is romantic,easy to understand and bantu unifying fator

By Abbey Kibirige Semuwemba
Luganda is romantic,easy to understand and bantu unifying fator
17.07.2009 LISTEN

Dear editor,
I would like the issue of a national language to be revisited by the parliament of Uganda and I ask those who consider themselves to be nationalists to consider making Luganda the national language of the country. The central purpose of this debate is to discover and fulfil an African or ugandan identity. That is why I find it disappointing that in this 21st century a man can sit on a chair and start making sentences requesting English or Swahilli to be our national languages. What is national in these languages honestly?

Swahilli cannot become our national language because it has nothing to do with national. Swahilli is already constitutionally our second official language. Luganda was the first local language to produce a dictionary, I believe. This was because even the colonialists realised the need to promote it for easy communication throughout the country. I think this dictionary was compiled by John D. Murphy in 1972. However, already the missionaries had produced books serving the same purpose after swahilli was refused by Kabaka Chwa in Buganda. I must mention that the man, Father Kiggundu, who helped in compiling this dictionary, was killed by either Amin or Obote's people. Kiggundu was the editor of Munno newspaper.

Luganda is so 'romantic' among the local languages in Uganda such that I have had women saying that they love it compared to other Uganda languages. It is an equivalent of the French or Italian in Europe. In football terms; it's an equivalent of the Brazil sambara or the Barcelona Vs Arsenal game. In addition, it is extremely and nicely expressive, comparatively easy, and harmonious to pronounce; and easier in its grammar than any of the languages in Uganda. It also possesses virtually the whole of the nineteen concord-prefixes.

Some anti-Luganda voices mention that the gandalisation of words from other languages as one of the reasons why they oppose it because it makes luganda to lack originality. I can gladly say that this is a good thing because it shows that Luganda and Baganda change with the dynamics of the society. For instance, we did not have scissors in Buganda before the Arabs came. When they came, baganda adopted the Arabic word makassi for makansi. This was done to suit the Baganda natives dealing with Arabs in trade. There are so many words like this, for instance, kofia, a cap (a word, I believe, of Turkish origin), became enkofira, a hat. The basoga call it emfwakire.

In addition, this situation is not only limited to Luganda and baganda as already seen in Swahilli. For instance, the Arabs found a certain group of people residing in Zanzibar called Wahadimu. Their real name is actually unknown but they were called this in use being a Swahili adaptation of the Arabic. Most of the Wahadimu now speak Swahili, though with a peculiar accent.

Luganda is also so much interlinked to other Bantu languages in Africa. There are so many luganda words similar to those of the Ndebele in Zimbabwe. The luganda has also got so many words similar with the Bahima. The bahima language is closely allied to Luganda and Lunyoro, a large number of the words being practically the same, but the construction differs, and the Bahima accentuate their words in a very marked manner. The usual salutation, on meeting, is Oreirige; goodbye, Osibege. On seeing a person for the second time in one day, the salutation is Osiberege.Osiberege is not that much different from osibyotya by baganda. Bahima call wooden seats (kitebe),Baskets (ekibo),ropes (omugwa),(enanga and entongoU) and a drum (engalabi) ,and all have got the same names in Luganda. So Baganda can be a starting base of uniting bantu speakers before the other groups.

Prof Apolo Nsibambi(PM of Uganda) wrote a good piece about the costs of so many languages in Uganda and it gives an insight of why we need to burry out tribal prides and promote the dominant local language in the country. He wrote that when Uganda achieved independence, Radio Uganda was broadcasting in English, Luganda, Runyoro/Rutoro, Ateso and Lwo. In March 1967, when President Obote delivered his opening speech before a Seminar on Mass Media and Linguistic Communication in East Africa, he announced that another tenlanguages on the radio had been added. By September 1969, other languages had been introduced on the programme by Radio Uganda to make a total of eighteen. These were English, Luganda, Lusoga, Lunyole/Lusamia/Lugwe, Dhopadhola, Lumasaba, Sebei, Runyoro/Rutoro, Runyankore/Rukiga, Lwo, Ateso, Karomojong, Madi, Kakwa, Lugbara, Alur, Kuman and Hindustani.

Yet the President had pointed out in 1967 that all the fourteen languages then being broadcast were not in every case necessary. He had, however, added ' I am in government and I have to take the political feelings of the people into account in formulating policies.Now I was just looking for this last statement. Obote was thinking like so many current anti-luganda supporters. Like most people, late Dr.Obote allowed his bad feelings for Buganda in the politics of Uganda, not to support Luganda as the national language. In the end, Obote costed Uganda tax payers a lot of money by allowing almost 18 languages to create a stampede at Radio Uganda?

Luganda is growing every day as a language compared to other local languages and it needs to be helped by all Ugandans to grow to a level whereby almost all Ugandans can speak it fluently. It can only be good for the country if we put all our tribal emotions or sentiments aside. Let us take this first step towards building nationalism in the country. It is a simple thing which does not cost money to any of us. It will only cost tribal pride. All we need is to teach our kids at home to speak Luganda and then the national language engine will start to move us all in the right direction. This is one simple issue all Ugandans can easily agree on

Abbey Kibirige Semuwemba
United Kingdom

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