Kiswahili key to integration,says EAC official

What you need to know:
- “As a common language of wider communication, Kiswahili is crucial for empowerment and active participation of citizens in EAC affairs,” remarked EAC deputy secretary-general for Political Federation Charles Njoroge.
Arusha. A senior East African Community (EAC) official has laid emphasis on the importance of Kiswahili, describing it as a strategic communication tool for deepening regional integration.
“As a common language of wider communication, Kiswahili is crucial for empowerment and active participation of citizens in EAC affairs,” remarked EAC deputy secretary-general for Political Federation Charles Njoroge.
He said the EAC appreciated efforts made by the partner states in the development and use of Kiswahili Language and urged the East African Kiswahili Commission (EAKC) and other stakeholders to support the efforts.
Mr Njoroge, who was addressing the EAKC Expert Strategic Plan (2017-2022) Translation Quality Workshop at EAC headquarters, which ended on Friday, stressed that Kiswahili should be pushed beyond being the lingua franca of the region.
The workshop attracted translation experts from institutions within the region that use Kiswahili and ensure the EAKC Strategic Plan was implemented in the manner that would make the language user-friendly.
In recent years, the EAC through its legislative organ, the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala), has been pushing for Kiswahili to be made one of the official working languages of the EAC besides English. A resolution to that effect was passed by Eala during its session held in Arusha in August last year. Under the EAC Treaty, English remains the official language, while Kiswahili has the lingua franca status.
It is both the national and official language of Tanzania and the national language in Kenya and Rwanda. Outside the two countries, it is spoken by 70 per cent and 50 per cent of members of the public in Burundi and Rwanda respectively. It is also widely spoken in several other countries in eastern, central and southern Africa.
The workshop worked on the first strategic plan for the Zanzibar-based Commission for the next five years. EACK, is an EAC institution established three years ago to promote Kiswahili. The commission’s executive secretary, Prof Kenneth Simala, said the body had developed its plan through an inclusive and consultative approach in promoting Kiswahili to fit in the EAC regional integration.
He reiterated that the commission was determined to ensure proper and timely implementation of directives by regional leaders regarding harmonisation and coordination of the use of Kiswahili.