Uganda launches Kiswahili competition to promote official language

KAMPALA, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Uganda on Tuesday launched the Dawati la Kiswahili competition to promote the adoption and use of Kiswahili, one of the country's two official languages.

The initiative, launched on International Kiswahili Day by Minister of Information, Communication Technology and National Guidance Justine Lumumba at the Uganda Media Center, is aimed at encouraging wider use of Kiswahili across the East African country.

The competition forms part of broader national and regional efforts to promote the language, alongside the upcoming Sauti Ya Uganda national anthem competition and other Kiswahili writing initiatives.

"We shall encourage institutions and individuals to come and join in the competition," Lumumba said during the launch. "There will be rewards and it's also intended to make sure people understand and learn."

As part of the initiative, the government is scheduled to launch the Sauti Ya Uganda national anthem competition on Friday to further promote the adoption of Kiswahili.

Uganda adopted Kiswahili as an official language in July 2022 after the cabinet approved the implementation of a directive issued by the 21st East African Community Summit, which designated Kiswahili as an official language of the regional bloc.

The country now recognizes English and Kiswahili as its two official languages.

The cabinet also directed that Kiswahili be taught as a compulsory and examinable subject in primary and secondary schools as part of efforts to expand its use nationwide. Enditem