President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called on Uganda’s cultural leaders to strengthen efforts to preserve indigenous languages, culture and traditional knowledge.
Museveni made the call Tuesday during the coronation ceremony at Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal, where he spoke about the role cultural institutions can play alongside the modern state.
He said Uganda risked losing important aspects of its heritage as indigenous languages and traditional knowledge came under pressure from modern influences.
“I could see danger. The indigenous languages are not being used; children speak English,” Museveni said.
The President said cultural institutions should work with government to preserve indigenous languages, adding that he had personally written a Runyankore dictionary because the language had received insufficient attention.
“We must also guard our language, culture and indigenous science jealously. Our local knowledge is disappearing.”
We must preserve our indigenous science, crafts, cultural practices and heritage. These are important for our identity and our survival.
He also urged cultural leaders to address marriage and family life, arguing that traditional systems had guided social conduct and family responsibilities.
“I call upon our cultural leaders to thoroughly address the institution of marriage and promote responsible family life. We must go back to our traditional ways of conducting marriages, which provided clarity and helped maintain social order,” Museveni said.
He said cultural institutions should also help preserve indigenous science and knowledge, arguing that traditional practices should not automatically be discarded because they do not originate from modern scientific institutions.
He added: “We are facing serious challenges, including the prevalence of HIV in this part of the country and Western Uganda. Karamoja, on the other hand, has maintained strong cultural practices around marriage and has a lower prevalence.”
Museveni cited his efforts to preserve the Ankole long-horned cattle as an example. “I insisted on keeping Ankole traditional cows. Now Ramaphosa, the South African President, came, and when he saw my cows, he bought 43 cows from me. Now in South Africa it is a big story,” he said.
He also showcased wooden household products produced by Matongo Limited, saying locally made products and traditional crafts had been overshadowed by modern alternatives.
Museveni said Uganda should guard its indigenous knowledge, language and culture while working with modern institutions to advance national development.