Kiswahili at crossroads: Cultural Politics and Language Policy in Uganda

Abstract

This thesis assesses language policies and other factors that have affected the promotion anddevelopment of Kiswahili in the different epochs of time in Uganda. This assessment is based onUganda's historical background regarding the search for a national language that has beencharacterised by different language policies across different historical epochs. These include bothmacro and micro policies that have had an impact on the promotion and development ofKiswahili in Uganda. Specifically, the study examined the historical narrative of differentlanguage policies and other factors that have impacted Kiswahili growth across the differenthistorical periods: the pre-colonial period (1840-1894), the colonial period (1894-1962),and thepost-colonial period (1962-2019). This study used a blend of three theoretical approaches tolanguage policy and planning (LPP). These are the Historical-structural model,the Neo-classicalModel and Language Management Theory (LMT). A narrative technique embedded in ahistorical design enabled the collection of both qualitative and quantitative data. Data wasgenerated using interviews, Focus Group Discussion, document analysis and a surveyquestionnaire. Data was analysed using thematic analysis, content analysis and descriptivestatistics. Findings revealed that the promotion and development of Kiswahili has beendependent on numerous language policies stretching from the pre, during and post-colonialepochs. The constant shift in cultural and political leadership meant that the sitting regimedetermined the language policies that favored their leadership or political ideology. As a result,the promotion and development of Kiswahili was affected negatively because missionaries,colonialists and sitting governments in the post-independent period did not put effectivestrategies to actualize Kiswahili's growth and development. Much as majority of the respondentsindicated that Kiswahili is relevant in Uganda, they however, expressed fears of perceptions andattitudes, cultural nationalism, lack of strong political will and ambivalence in language policiestowards Kiswahili promotion and development in Uganda. The study recommends that ifKiswahili is to develop as National, Official or a lingua franca, Uganda should effectively adopta language policy model with explicit implementation guidelines that would formalise andstreamline Kiswahili in all domains and for all purposes.