Uganda’s 2026 presidential race is heating up with bold promises from the candidates. One of the most controversial statements so far has come from Mubarak Munyagwa, a candidate representing the Common Man’s Party (CMP). In a video circulating on social media, Munyagwa declared that he would abolish Swahili as an official language if elected president.
“We shall ban Swahili as our national language, we shall ban it, we need French instead,” he said, arguing that Swahili does not offer Ugandans enough international opportunities compared to French.
Currently, English is Uganda’s national and official language, widely used in education, government, and legal systems. In 2005, Swahili was also declared an official language to promote East African Community (EAC) integration, given its role as a unifying language across Kenya, Tanzania, and other regional partners.
Munyagwa, however, believes that Uganda would benefit more from adopting French, which is spoken in over 30 African countries including Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Gabon. He emphasized that French provides broader international and regional opportunities in diplomacy, trade, and education.
French is indeed one of the most widely spoken languages in Africa. It dominates much of West Africa—from Senegal to Côte d’Ivoire as well as Central Africa, where it serves as an official language in Cameroon, Congo, and Chad. In North Africa, it continues to be influential in education and business, even where Arabic is the official language.
Uganda’s 2026 presidential election has eight cleared candidates, including long-serving President Yoweri Museveni (NRM), opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine (NUP), and veteran politicians like Mugisha Muntu (ANT) and Nathan Nandala Mafabi (FDC).
Munyagwa’s proposal is likely to stir debate, especially as Swahili plays a critical role in East African unity. Whether his call to replace it with French resonates with voters remains to be seen as the country heads toward a competitive election season.
