Luganda in the Language Ecology of Gulu, Northern Uganda

Luganda, Uganda’s most widely spoken indigenous language, is used by over 11 million speakers and ranks second only to English, the country’s official language. While it originates from the Southern-Central region, its traditional home in Buganda, Luganda, has increasingly gained second-language users across other regions. Despite this expansion, limited scholarly attention has been given to its acquisition, diffusion, and public communicative functions outside Buganda. This study examines the spread and everyday use of Luganda in two non-traditional urban settings: Mbale City in Eastern Uganda and Gulu City in Northern Uganda. Drawing on ethnographic observations, interviews, and document analysis, the research qualitatively explores the macro-, meso-, and micro-level dynamics driving its adoption, including post-conflict mobility, institutional language practices, and individual agency. Findings reveal that Luganda’s urban diffusion is a complex, temporally contingent process shaped by socio-economic aspirations, historical legacies, and shifting demographic patterns. These insights contribute to broader debates on language ecology, urban multilingualism, and the sociolinguistics of mobility in post-conflict African contexts