Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology on 21st February, 2025, joined the rest of the world to celebrate the 25th anniversary of International Mother Language Day. The celebrations at MMUST, themed ‘Language Matter: Silver Jubilee Celebration of International Mother Language Day’, brought together key stakeholders, including the National and the County Government of Kakamega; the leadership of the Wanga Kingdom, led by His Royal Majesty Nabongo Peter Mumia II; WECO Founders Association, MMUST-UNESCO Club, MMUST Professors, staffs and students. The event was graced by Ms. Elizabeth Kyalo, who represented the Principal Secretary of the State Department for Culture, Arts, and Heritage, Ms. Ummi Bashir, CBS.
Isukuti dancers entertain participants at the event.
Speaking during the event, Ms. Kyalo pointed out that the event marked a quarter century of efforts to preserve linguistic diversity and promote mother tongue. “The Constitution of Kenya recognizes culture as the foundation of the nation. The Ministry of Gender, Culture, Arts, and Heritage has initiated several activities to support the development of culture in the country. These activities include International Cultural Exchange Programmes as well as the Kenya Music and Cultural Festival,” she stated.
In his address, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Solomon Shibairo, underscored the university’s unique position as the only institution in Kenya with an Institute of Indigenous Knowledge, Cultural Studies and Climate Change (IIKCSCC). He emphasized MMUST’s commitment to the preservation, documentation, and promotion of indigenous languages and cultural heritage. “Languages are more than communication tools, they are vehicles to identity, history, and knowledge. As a University, we remain committed to fostering research, policy engagement, and community-based initiatives that support Indigenous languages and cultural sustainability through IIKCSCC and the Department of Language and Literature Education.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Solomon Shibairo speaks at the event.
The Director IIKCSCC, Prof. Josephine Ngaira, thanked the University Management for establishing her Directorate. While giving a talk on ‘Climate Change, Language and Indigenous Knowledge’, the full Professor of Geography highlighted the intricate relationship between culture and climate, saying that climate influences various aspects of human behaviour, including dressing, diet, and lifestyle choices. “There is a need for climate change champions to incorporate Indigenous languages and cultural beliefs in their messaging to effectively communicate with communities,” said Prof. Ngaira.
Similarly, the Dean School of Arts and Social Sciences, Dr. Rose Auma noted that this was the second time MMUST was hosting these celebrations. “This day reminds us of the role of mother languages in safeguarding cultural heritage, improving education, and fostering more peaceful societies,” commented the Dean, adding that there are many challenges affecting the usage of mother languages.
The Director IIKCSCC, Prof. Josephine Ngaira makes her remarks.
“Research shows that out of the 8234 languages in the world, nine of them die each year. This means that by the year 2100, 50-90% of these languages will be extinct,” revealed MMUST’s Prof. Egara Kabaji, while giving his keynote address. Pointing out that there are few publications in African languages, Prof. Kabaji challenged the University to take the lead in promoting mother language by investing in a fully-fledged Centre of creative writing, translation and language development. This, he said, will help place these languages at the high table of cultural exchange in the globe. On his part, Prof. Inyani Simala, noted that Kiswahili is gaining global recognition as an official language in most countries. “Language has the ability to break or unite people. As we celebrate this day, let us remember to use language in a way that impacts us positively,” advised Prof. Simala.
His Royal Majesty Nabongo Peter Mumia II visits one of the exhibition stands.
Notably, the celebration was marked with cultural exhibitions as well as traditional music and dance. Indeed, this year’s event is once again a reminder of the need for us to not only promote linguistic and cultural diversity but also preserve our cultural heritage.
By Wangari Wambugu and Caren Nekesa
Photos by Shiundu Masafu
