Orunyakitara

It is now over twenty years since Makerere University began awarding degrees in Orunyakitara. The radio stations in Kibaale, Hoima, Masindi, and Kabarole even have special programmes conspicuously entitled, Orunyakitara.

And, accordingly, many people in Tooro and Bunyoro Kitara proudly say they are speaking Omunyakitara. They are right because language is the greatest symbol of culture. It is natural, and normal, for human beings to identify themselves with culture. It is even believed that for a nation to be effectively described, they start by asking what language they do speak .
Hence, Orunyakitara is alive and kicking. However, when a question is posed, “What is Orunyakitara?”, many people cannot answer. To assist our readers, the answer, according to Professor Oswald Ndolelriire the current head of Makerere university Institute of Languages, Orunyakitara is the grouping of Bantu langunges of similar dialects revolving around Runyoro-Rutooro and Runyunkole-Rukign, Ruhaya, Rwamba, Rukonzo, etc.
A UNO concept was adopted more than ten years ago to develop, and unite, languages of similar characteristics into one universal entity, in this case Orunyakitara.. Steps were taken to effect this policy.
Accordingly, in the case of Omunyakitara a working committee of experts was selected composed of Professor Oswald Ndoleriire, and Gilbert Gumoshabe who went to South Airica some five years ago to join their counterparts there.
After one month's deliberations in South Africa the committee adopted a trial draft Orunyakitara Orthography. They said this formed a working draft for the future Universal Orunyakitara. This Orthography would cover Orunyakitara dialects spoken in Uganda, Tanzania, Maiawi, Namibia, etc.