Ruth Mukama

Ruth Mukama Gimbo (born 4 December 1946) is a Ugandan academic professor specializing in linguistics and African languages who has contributed significantly to higher education in Uganda, serving at institutions like Kabale University and Makerere University. She introduced teaching kishwahili in learning institutions. Her expertise spans teaching, research, and advocacy for gender equality. Beyond academia, she is also involved in farming and mentoring young people. Ruth attended Budaka Primary School for her primary level education. She then joined Busia SS and Gayaza High School for her secondary level education. She then enrolled at Makerere University where she graduated with an Honours Degree in English Literature, History and French. Later, Ruth attained a PhD in General Linguistics from the University of York in England without first doing a masters as required.

Career Ruth Mukama has worked in the field of academia where she has served to different academic institutions as a lecturer, Associate professor, professor and in other leadership capacities.

Kabale University, Kabale(since July 2018),

Prof Ruth Mukama has worked with Kabale University a professor of linguistics, where she introduced a masters degree of Arts in Linguistics. She was the Head, Department of African languages. In April, 2019, she became a Member of the Kabale University Senate and a Member of the joint Council. Since 2019 she has been the Chair of the Inaugural Lectures Organizing Committee.

Makerere University, Kampala, (June 1979 to December 2016 )

2008-April 2009, Chaired the Technical Working Group that developed the Gender Policy for Makerere University. Played a pivotal role in conducting research, managing group discussions as well as the actual formulation and editing of the final draft of the Gender Policy together with Prof. Sylvia tamale Nov 2005 to August 2007 was Ag Head, Gender Mainstreaming Division (now a Directorate) Academic Registrar's Department. March 1995 to December 2016: Coordinator of the Kiswahili Programme, Department of African Languages, Makerere University. Sole architect of the Kiswahili undergraduate programmes, both advanced and beginners, as well as the old Masters Programme in Languages, and the successor programme: the Masters in African Languages. 2001/02 Authored and successfully launched the semesterized graduate programme of the Master of Arts in African Languages, which I still coordinate. Authored several other semesterized programmes. 1979 – 1989 Member of the Editorial Board of Mawazo, journal of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

University College of Botswana, Gaberone: Nov. 1978-1979 Lecturer in Linguistics and English Language to undergraduate students and Head of the graduate programme of English Language and Linguistics.

University of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania: Dec. 1976-1978 Lecturer in Kiswahili to undergraduates and in Linguistics to the Masters students. Coordinator, the Joint Graduate Programme for the Departments of Foreign Languages and Kiswahili.

University of Zambia, Lusaka: 1973-1976 Lecturer in Linguistics and English Language to undergraduates. Coordinator of the Correspondence Programme for the English Language and the Zambian Languages. Managed and was the Chief Tutor on the graduate programme for the Faculties of Arts and Education.

Kabale University

2018 August-2020, Head, Department of African languages 2019 April, Member of the joint Council/Senate Search Committee for the Deputy Vice- Chancellors, for Kabale University as well as for the Vice Chancellor (12 April 2021). Feb 1989-April 1994 Associate Professor Nov 1982-January 1989 Senior Lecturer 2002-2008 Member of the Makerere University Senate. March 2003-March 2008 Member of the Mulago Hospital Interim Board of Directors which is charged with the task of preparing the Hospital for autonomy, among other terms of reference. November 2003-2008 Vice Chair and since 2009 substantive Chair of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Private Sector Development Centre Limited (EPSEDEC), based in Mbale, a Company Limited by Guarantee without a Share Capital, whose mission is to provide capacity development services that empower individuals and communities. 1982-1993 Represented UNESCO (Paris) Uganda at the regional forums in Dar-es-Salaam that developed technical terminologies for Kiswahili for different scholarly and socio-economic fields.