The Rutara or Runyakitara languages (endonym: Orutara, Orunyakitara) are a group of closely related Bantu languages spoken in the African Great Lakes region.
They include languages such as Runyoro, Runyankore, Rukiga and Ruhaya.
The language group takes its name from the Empire of Kitara.
David L. Schoenbrun classifies the Rutara languages as follows:[2] According to glottochronological calculations, Proto-Rutara emerged in the year 500AD.
Proto-Rutara was first spoken in the Kagera Region of Tanzania near Bukoba before spreading northwards into Uganda and the DRC.