Kiswahili Council Bill hits another hurdle over ownership

By Our reporter

PARLIAMENT – Consideration of the Uganda National Kiswahili Council Bill, 2023 stalled for a second time during a plenary sitting held on Monday, 14 October 2024.

While chairing the sitting, the Speaker, Anita Among, tasked the Ministry of Education and Sports, and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, to harmonise their positions on the Bill before its Second Reading.

“I held a meeting with Hon. Mutuuzo and Hon. Ogwang in my office. Hon. Mutuuzo said it was a cabinet position to have the Bill under the Ministry of Gender, whereas Hon. Ogwang said the Bill belongs to the Ministry of Education. I am directing that both ministers come to the Floor on Wednesday with a harmonised position,” said Among.

Her directive follows concerns by some legislators who questioned the ownership of the Bill and the need for a Kiswahili Council.

The Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi, observed that when the Bill was brought before Parliament, it was not signed, which raised concerns over the sponsor of the Bill.

He also noted discrepancies on where the Bill should be housed, adding that the Attorney General did not offer clarification on the ministry in charge of the Bill.

“We told the government to get itself in order, and then retable this Bill. We shall then know who to hold accountable. Even if you insist and somehow it gets to pass, it will be challenged in court and you do not want that,” said Ssenyonyi.

Hon. Elijah Okupa (Indep., Kasilo County) and Hon. Jonathan Ebwalu (Indep., Soroti West Division) questioned why the government proposed a council to manage Kiswahili, compared to other languages taught in schools across the country.

“Swahili is not the first language Ugandans are learning. We have Luganda, Ateso, German and French being taught in schools, but we do not have councils for these languages,” Okupa said.

“My humble view is that you make Kiswahili compulsory in schools, rather than bringing this council. We are talking of rationalisation but you want to bring people to manage the council. Are you going to bring the Luganda council, the Kumam council, the Ateso council?” Ebwalu asked.

Hon. Henry Kibalya (NRM, Bugabula County) said that the education ministry is charged with language education and as such ought to manage the proposed Kiswahili Council, rather than the gender ministry.

“The Ministry of Education was introduced in this government to handle whatever concerns education. Whether education is in Lusoga or Lugbara, it is the Ministry of Education in charge,” Kibalya said.

The Minister of State for Gender, Labour and Social Development (Gender and Culture). Hon. Peace Mutuuzo, told the House that the proposed Bill is sponsored by her ministry under provisions of the Constitution.

“This Bill is sponsored by the Ministry of Gender, not by error. The ministry is sponsoring the Bill because it is mandated under Objective 24 of the Constitution, Article 6 on Languages as well as Article 37 on the Rights of Culture and similar Rights,” Mutuuzo said.

The Speaker, however, reiterated her position on a harmonised position, to avoid retrospective signing of the Bill.

The object of the Bill is to provide for the establishment of the Uganda National Kiswahili Council, its functions, its linkage with local governments and its funds, among others after Article 6(2) of the Constitution made Kiswahili the second official language of Uganda.