East African Community Continues To Push For Adoption Of Kiswahili Language

August 5, 2024

Kiswahili, a language developed on the coast of East Africa has been used as an official language for only two countries on a continent of more than 50 nations, yet many have clung on their former colonial master’s languages like French, English and Portuguese.

Only the United Republic of Tanzania and Kenya have Kiswahili as the national language while Uganda is working on the program to completely fall suit. In Uganda, Kiswahili is commonly spoken by the army because it has always been the language of command and parade.

Comparing East African Community (EAC) member states and their population’s proficiency in the Kiswahili language, Tanzania takes the lead with 95 percent of the population speaking it as first or second language; second is Kenya with 85 percent; Uganda comes third with an estimated 20 million people able to speak it though not fluently.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, where over 200 local languages are spoken there are about 10 million speakers of Kiswahili as their first language while French is the national language. Swahili is also spoken in Rwanda, Burundi and Somalia but not at level of millions of people.

Kiswahili drive

Now, the EAC has intensified its crusade to ensure that the population in the seven member states embrace Kiswahili because it has a rich cultural heritage and can be used in fostering unity across the region.

Delivering the keynote address during the official opening session of the 2nd East African Kiswahili Commission (EAKC) International Conference in Mombasa, Kenya, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary in charge of Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage, Aisha Jumwa, urged East Africans to be proactive in developing Kiswahili and other African languages to enhance their global competitiveness.

“Kiswahili is spoken by over 200 million people worldwide. This demonstrates that our efforts to promote the language are yielding results and we should continue to advance these efforts,” Jumwa is quoted by the EAC media department in a recently released press statement.

She disclosed that Kenya is considering establishing a National Kiswahili-Speaking Day as part of efforts to promote the language at national level.

“In Kenya, we are discussing the possibility of designating a special day, possibly the 7th of July, when every Kenyan, including the President, judges, civil servants, and teachers, will be expected to speak exclusively in Kiswahili,” she said.

Jumwa further revealed that Kenya was in the final stages of establishing the National Swahili Council to develop specific strategies, methods and policies needed to promote and develop Kiswahili in the country, in addition to collaborating with national and private actors involved in the development of the Kiswahili language.

Speaking at the event, the EAKC Executive Secretary, Dr. Caroline Asiimwe, said that the conference aims to provide a platform for Kiswahili stakeholders to share knowledge, research evidence, best practices, experiences and perspectives on the role of Kiswahili education in enhancing a culture of peace.

“Kiswahili is not just a language of communication; it is fundamental to building our society, nations, and the EAC region. The issues discussed at the conference and the recommendations made will be crucial for the Commission to consider and implement in contributing to coordinated efforts to use Kiswahili for sustainable development in the EAC,” said Dr. Asiimwe.

“Peace is the foundation of development, and Kiswahili is also a pillar of development. It is encouraging that Kiswahili has been adopted as an official or national language in most EAC Partner States and is being taught at various levels of the school system,” added Dr. Asiimwe.

Speaking at the event, the Judge President of the East African Court of Justice (EACJ), Justice Nestor Kayobera, emphasised the critical importance for officials of Partner States’ governments and EAC Organs and Institutions to consistently uphold the provisions of the EAC Treaty in the execution of their duties.

Justice Kayobera reiterated that strict adherence to the Treaty is essential to preventing unnecessary legal disputes before the EACJ, noting the significant financial resources spent on compensating aggrieved parties due to violations of the Treaty.

On his part, the Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), Joseph Ntakirutimana, expressed optimism about the future global prevalence of Kiswahili.

“To achieve regional cooperation, unity, socioeconomic development and prosperity, it is essential to strengthen our interactions through the use of a common language,” said Ntakirutimana.

The Speaker called on Partner States Ministers of EAC Affairs and other stakeholders to advocate for the adoption of Kiswahili as an official language across the region.

“Kiswahili is poised to transcend borders, becoming a universal language spoken across continents. This would signify a significant milestone for East Africa,” Ntakirutimana remarked.

In Uganda, the Government has put emphasis on Kiswahili with Cabinet having arranged for some weekly classes while the National Resistance Movement (NRM) secretariat recently announced such platforms for learning the language.