Saudah Namyalo

Saudah Namyalo is an Associate Professor of Linguistics at Makerere University. She is devoted to empowering Uganda’s indigenous languages through research and teaching. Saudah has enthusiasm for language development and sees the scientific, educational and economic value that may accrue from the growth of mother tongue industries. She looks at Africa’s multilingualism with creative hope and pragmatic realism, rather than with pessimism and frustration at sheer numbers of languages and dialects.

Saudah Namyalo is an Associate Professor of Linguistics in the Department of African Languages and the serving Dean, School of Languages, Literature and Communication.  She is known for her enthusiasm in culture and language development and sees the scientific, educational, and economic value that may accrue from the growth of mother tongue industries. She looks at Africa’s multilingualism and multiculturalism with creative hope and pragmatic realism, rather than pessimism and frustration at the sheer number of languages and cultures. As a result of her commitment to promoting and preserving Uganda’s indigenous languages and cultures, she has documented the art of barkcloth making among the Baganda, the disappearing legends of Banyala, compiled a bilingual-talking English-Ruruuli/Lunyala dictionary, a dictionary of Luganda proverbs and idioms, a dictionary of English-Luganda Linguistics dictionary and published a book on terminological modernization of Luganda in the field of linguistics among many others publications. As part of her efforts towards the promotion of culture, while serving as a minister of state in the Buganda Kingdom, under the patronage of HRH the Nnaabagereka of Buganda, began a children’s training camp ‘ekisaakaate’ which aims at restoring family values, morals and customs among the Baganda