Maseno University, Kenya
Department of African Languages

INTRODUCTION AND APPEAL FOR DONATION OF MATERIALS

The Department of African Languages at Maseno University was started in 1995 with the objective of training students in the linguistic analysis of indigenous languages, literatures and histories of Kenyan peoples.  Before then no Kenyan university had mounted any programmes on indigenous Kenyan languages and literatures apart from Kiswahili. Currently, the Department offers courses in linguistics, literature and history of Dholuo, Kalenjin, Ekegusii and Luluyia.  The first two are Nilotic languages while the other two are Bantu languages.

Early in 2002 the Department hosted the First Nilotic Languages Workshop, which to us was a good beginning, especially as the University is in the advanced stages of starting the 
Centre for Nilotic Studies,  
which we hope will spearhead research in the Nilotic languages of Kenya and the surrounding East African region.
A major problem facing the Department is lack of publications.  This introduction of the Department to fellow scholars is therefore to solicit assistance in the form of materials and ideas on how to lead a successful campaign for building a dependable stock of reading and reference materials on African languages.

A donation of an old or extra book, research reports, an advance book pull-out, an unpublished paper, conference proceedings, an old or current journal - any material on general linguistics, African languages or literatures, and particularly on languages of Kenya will be highly appreciated. You can send your donation to:

        Chair, Department of African Languages
        Maseno University
        P.O. Box 333
        Maseno, KENYA                            e-mail:  omconyango@yahoo.com
Already, we have had some donations from fellow linguists which have come in form of personal donations of books, copies of theses, book excerpts, unpublished papers and for these we are very grateful, especially because they have given us an encouragingly good start.

Sincerely,

Owen MCOnyango, Chair
Department of African Languages
Maseno University, Kenya

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