African Day highlights use of Kiswahili

At the University of Cape Town, May 26 was marked a historic day as the International Day for Africa was honoured with great historical and prospective presentations by top scholars, among whom was Prof Aldin Kai Mutembei of the University of Dar es Salaam whose historic and strategic academic paper was titled “The Role and Status of Kiswahili as the Language of Liberation and African Integration.”

The essence of the African Day celebrated globally on May 25 every year is to commemorate and safeguard African Unity. This year is also the twentieth anniversary of the African Union (AU), which early this year in its Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa adopted Kiswahili as a working language in Africa. This was followed by the UNESCO’s declaration of July 7 as World Kiswahili Language Day.

The African Day, since its adoption in 1963, has evolved through different vocabulary, yet the meaning such seek to bring forth has been similar, emancipation, empowerment, freedom, and liberation.

Among other things, the aforementioned cannot be achieved without efficient communication, a means which is not just efficient, but effective and close to the cultural atmosphere of the people of Africa, even in their pronounced diversity.

Africa, being a uniquely diverse continent, especially based on historical roots, and colonialism and its remnants, has always needed a unique approach to keep its oneness intact. A practical approach will be one that invests in the integration of the African human and material resources.

Language for integration

Integration is the reason Prof Aldin Mutembei calls once again the attention of the African continent to speed up the effort of its liberation. He says, “Every stage, is a vehicle to realization of liberation. But it is also there to construct reality at every stage.” Hence, language plays a crucial role on the mental, cultural, social, political and economic liberation.

Formal education is one area that suffers most in this matter; it is also an endeavour with great numbers, especially these days where it is evidently key to most professional pursuits. Teachers and learners suffer the same trouble of making each other understand, and making the subject and their own understanding understood. This is because of language barriers and limitations.

Prof. Mutembei spoke of mental and cultural liberation encompassing language, art, music, etc. because the construction of our thought goes hand in hand with what is in essence our personhood and cultural identity. No wonder [a popular though wrong test] being cultured and knowledgeable has been identifying with the West, speaking Western Languages, in Western accents, purchasing western goods, and even banking with western banks.

In a greater portion of Africa, learning is facilitated in foreign languages, languages that partitioned the people of Africa many years ago. Philosophy of language propounds that we need language to think, as thinking is both a conscious and subconscious activity of association. It is not easy to harness much from this association when the language does not communicate the same thing with the real life subjects and objects of our experiences.

By expanding the coverage and learning of African languages chances are that knowledge developing from within can easily be nursed to grow as components of such knowledge are known in the same language. This can transform many sectors that keep us struggling: teaching medicine, engineering, to mention a few.

Kiswahili and national consciousness

Kiswahili being a common and an official language in Tanzania has helped to nurture national consciousness. One may ask why we talk about this now. The reason is to keep the current going especially with young people.

The ease of communication, which is also facilitated in a different language, poses a challenge to hold young people into preserving the language. This is however not a very big problem if they know the language already.

The domination by external systems has created a worldview in young people that there is no future back at home, making them to seek greener pastures in other countries.

This can slowly be reversed when Africans set their own systems that fit both the provisions and needs of their society. When that works, chances are that greener pastures will be found at home.

Kiswahili to be taught at UCT

The Vice Chancellor of UCT, Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng announced in her opening address at the UCT’s Africa Month that Kiswahili will be offered as an elective course from 2023. The University is also setting up plans to offer it as a major subject in 2028.

According to official UCT news desk, this programme will be offered through the School of Languages and Literatures in the Faculty of Humanities, in partnership with the Institute for Kiswahili Studies at the University of Dar es Salaam, where Prof. Aldin Mutembei is the Director.

Prof. Phakeng said in her address that, “South Africa has welcomed different European languages. It is about time that we do the same for the languages of our continent. Becoming fluent in Kiswahili is one way to reclaim our identity as Africans.”

However Kiswahili is already taught in several schools in South Africa and Botswana, while Namibia is also considering doing so.

Speaking with Prof. Mutembei after the events, he is very positive about the two events, the celebration of the African Day as well as the project to start Kiswahili at UCT. “Celebrations were a success as the events also centered on the advantages of having one African voice. It meant a lot to me. Kiswahili was visioned as that voice,” he said.

Speaking of how he sees the future, he said “I see a bright future for and to Africa. We remain with our ethnic languages but yet we are united through one African language. In Cape Town, besides the pioneering UCT, other reputable universities have requested to have Kiswahili.”

“The challenge as I see is bringing the language to the rest of the population. We need to find a way for the rest of the people to embrace the language and start using it for their upward mobility; for their business, for building peace and elevating their dignity. I see a positive role of Kiswahili in building the future of Africa in every aspect,” he added.

The promotion of Kiswahili to the global audience has an advantage of spreading African culture and philosophy, and opens career doors for East Africans to sell skills, art, literature and music, and the language itself globally