The Ministry of Education recommends that the Ministry of Gender withdraws the Uganda National Kiswahili Council Bill 2023 from Parliament.
While appearing before the Gender committee of parliament, State Minister for Education, John Chrysestom Muyingo, highlighted several concerns regarding the bill, which he argues contains significant loopholes and lacks proper stakeholder consultation.
Muyingo stressed that while the promotion of the Kiswahili language is important, the bill, as currently drafted, has not involved relevant parties including the Education Ministry, leaving out crucial considerations.
He emphasized that the bill be withdrawn and revised with input from all pertinent stakeholders to ensure a well-rounded and effective implementation plan.
Director of Basic and Secondary Education, Ismail Mulindwa, shared concerns about the bill's enforceability, citing the absence of supporting policy and other gaps that could undermine its effectiveness.
Committee members expressed concerns over the lack of coordination among various government ministries.
Committee Chairperson Margaret Kunihira called for a unified stance from ministries such as ICT, Education, Gender, and East African Affairs to address these issues collaboratively.
Kasanda South MP Frank Kabuye echoed this sentiment, urging the government to achieve consensus on the bill's provisions before advancing it in Parliament.
The bill aims to implement Article 6(2) of the Ugandan Constitution and the East African Kiswahili Commission protocol.
It seeks to establish the Uganda National Kiswahili Council to oversee the usage of Kiswahili in administrative, judicial, and legislative processes, support Kiswahili research, and facilitate the translation of key East African Community (EAC) policy documents.
The 21st EAC Heads of State Summit, held on February 27, 2021, had declared Kiswahili as an official language of the Community, underscoring its significance in regional integration and communication..
