South Eastern Kenya University has launched its first ever Kiswahili journal JARIDA LA DIRA YA LUGHA. A journal that will be produced twice a year to promote the study and spread of kisawahil. It is also meant to give scholars a platform to publish their research.
The launch was done during kongamano la Kiswahili which was concluded last weekend. The conference was officially opened by the Chief Guest Prof. Kithaka Wa Mberia and presided over by the DVC-Corporate services Prof. Francis Wachira on behalf of the Vice- Chancellor and hosted by the DVC- Academic Research and Innovation Prof. Harrison Maithya.
In his speech, Prof. Kithaka challenged Universities running Kiswahili journals to enhance their utility in promoting the language by aspiring to grow them to international standards.
The idea of publishing this journal was initiated by Dr. sarah Ngesu who heads the department of African Languages, under School of Humanities and Social Sciences in SEKU.
It has three Kiswahili academic journals-kiswahili, kioo and mulika, with 18 articles talking about Linguistics, Literature, the teaching of Kiswahili to foreigners and the place of Kiswahili in preserving African culture. The articles Published in the journal came from different scholars in six public universities and seven articles from Tanzania.
In the vice chancellors message that was read by the DVC-CS congratulated the team that worked tirelessly to publish the journal and urged the students to use this opportunity to publish their research.
