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The Ministry of East African Affairs is seeking an additional Shs3.5b ($9.1 billion) to coordinate and promote Kiswahili as an official language in Uganda. This was revealed by the docket political head, and Third Deputy Prime Minister, Ms Rebecca Kadaga, in a statement presented to Parliament yesterday.

Key among the activities to be undertaken is the training of Cabinet members and permanent secretaries. The officials have only one year to up their proficiency in the language.

A Kiswahili training programme and manual for Parliament has also been developed and handed to the Clerk for implementation. “As guided by Cabinet, my ministry is in the process of engaging a team of Kiswahili trainers to train Cabinet and permanent secretaries and we have begun the process of changing the relevant stakeholders with a view to prepare a comprehensive plan and budgets for the various activities,” Ms Kadaga told Parliament. 

In July, the Cabinet approved the adoption of Kiswahili as an official language and directed that it be made a compulsory subject in primary and secondary schools. This was in line with the directive of the 21st East African Community (EAC) Summit held in February 2021 that directed the expedition of the implementation of Kiswahili, English and French as official languages in the bloc.

Read: Uganda finally adopts Kiswahili as official language

Ms Kadaga said the government aims to make Kiswahili the language of transaction in business, private sector organisations, government procedures, faith-based organisations and cultural institutions and the general citizenry. 

“I wish to emphasise that, there is a need to enhance the ability to communicate in Kiswahili by the business persons engaging in cross-border trade, hence enhancing intra-regional trade and, therefore, facilitating the implementation of the Common Market Protocol. Promoting Kiswahili will create employment opportunities for translators and interpreters of Kiswahili hence contributing to reducing youth unemployment. Swahili can be used to collectively promote and market the East African Community as a Single Tourist Destination,” Ms Kadaga said.

The government is also to set up the National Kiswahili Council which will champion Kiswahili development initiatives at the national level.

The ministry further recommended that the government emphasises adult literacy teaching programmes for Kiswahili as well as establish Kiswahili focal persons in every district for organising and overseeing the learning of Kiswahili.

Read: Uganda’s big gamble in adopting Kiswahili

Uganda’s previous attempts to adopt Kiswahili as a national language have not been successful, but the government is optimistic about its latest try.