Fresh debate erupts over Princess Katrina’s Luganda language fluency 

• Ssangalyambogo’s Luganda fluency after a UK-based TikToker criticised her accent and pronunciation.

• The criticism followed a recent vlog from the Manchester City vs Arsenal match where the princess briefly spoke Luganda with a strong British accent.

• She has in the past explained that she chooses English online because it helps a wider global audience understand her content.

An old debate has recently been revived on social media over Princess Katrina Ssangalyambogo’s Luganda fluency.

Some  users questioned why a daughter of the Kabaka of Buganda is often heard speaking English more comfortably than Luganda.

Princess Katrina, 24, is one of the children of Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II.

While she grew up and studied in Uganda, she has spent most of her youth out of the country in the UK, where she had her university education and currently works.

She is also prominent on social media, where she posts mostly sports and fitness content.

Most of the content is in the English language. Once in a while she will slip in Luganda lines, which are however laden with a thick British accent 

The discussion resurfaced this week after UK-based TikToker Jojo Taylor criticised the princess’s Luganda, saying her command of the language was weak despite her royal background.

Jojo questioned why the princess struggled with Luganda pronunciation.

“How is Princess Ssangalyambogo unable to speak proper Luganda because she’s grown up abroad. Imagine a Kabaka’s child who cannot speak as fluently as I do. Her Luganda is broken. She’s been here for long, and she cannot speak good Luganda like me. Why was she brought here,” she said.

The comments appear to have been triggered by one of Princess Katrina’s recent videos from London, where she was vlogging the Manchester City versus Arsenal match.

In the vlog, she briefly switched to Luganda while commenting on how Arsenal players were repeatedly pulling their opponents during the game. 

While many praised her effort, others focused on her strong British accent and pronunciation.

This is not the first time the issue has come up.

In 2024, Princess Katrina addressed concerns about her Luganda proficiency and explained why she chooses English more often online.

“I know Luganda. I speak it well. But I speak in English so that everyone on TikTok can understand,” she said.

She added: “We have Ugandans, Indians, Americans, the Britons where I go to school. When I speak in English, they all understand.”

Her response then earned mixed reactions, with some agreeing that English helps her reach a wider audience, while others insisted that preserving Luganda as a royal child should remain important.