| At least 70 men and women on Tuesday September 9, 2014 received certificates of attendance after three months of learning Kiswahili. The not paid for program, sponsored by the Trade Mark East Africa is coordinated by the Ministry of East African Community Affairs and it targets the business community.
Held at Hotel Africana, the students demonstrated what they learnt in form of skits, short plays and speeches. Their teacher, also known as Mwalimu in Kiswahili is Joseph Sayit and he was too overwhelmed by the works of his hands- his brilliant students. Launched in March 2014, the three months inaugural class was evident that MEACA’s initiatives were strong and would be upheld for long, as the free language lessons are taken countrywide. While launching the lessons, MEACA Minister, Hon Shem Bageine said the intention of the free lessons was to stimulate a broader interest in the use of Kiswahili among the Ugandan business community as an avenue for the conduct of businesses across the borders at the regional level.  And at their graduation, as he passed on certificates to the evidently happy graduands, Hon Bageine asked that they don’t underestimate Kiswahili’s importance especially since Uganda is integrating with the other Partner States. Hon Bageine also said that Government has already laid down a number of strategies to raise the profile of Kiswahili as a means of communication with a view to putting Uganda at the same footing with other EAC Partner States.  The Ministry Permanent Secretary Madam Edith Mwanje was equally delighted with what the students showcased. “ The interest as well as the success of this program has not only been a source of inspiration but has also energized us to reach-out to potential partners with a view to expanding the scope and reach of the Kiswahili training program to a wider audience,” she said. |
