\Kiswahili Could Become 2nd Official Language

[KaNisa]

"Kiswahili Could Become 2nd Official Language" (Kenya)

Donald Z. Osborn
Fri, 13 May 2005 20:30:13 -0700

The following article from the Nairobi paper The East African Standard was seen
on AllAfrica.com at http://allafrica.com/stories/200505090814.html ... DZO


Kiswahili Could Become Second Official Language

The East African Standard (Nairobi)
http://www.eastandard.net/
May 9, 2005
Posted to the web May 9, 2005

Masinde Kusimba
Nairobi

The Government is working on a policy to have Kiswahili adopted as an official
language by the end of the year.

The Director of Cultural Services, Mr Silverse Anami, said Kiswahili will then
be used alongside English as an alternative official language.

English is the only legislated official language while Kiswahili is classified
as a national language, applying only in informal situations.

Anami said there was need to promote the usage of Kiswahili in official places
saying the language got a boost last year when it was adopted as the African
Union's (AU) official language.

"By the virtue of being the AU's official language, people all over the
continent are struggling to use Kiswahili and it is high time we gave it the
prominence it deserves," said Anami.

He regretted that Kiswahili had been treated as inferior to English and French.

Anami said a task force headed by Kenyatta University Kiswahili lecturer Prof
Kimani Njogu had been established to come up with a programme aimed at
legislating Kiswahili as Kenya's official language.

"This will see the government adopt Kiswahili and use it in official documents,"
said Anami, adding that the move was aimed at promoting indigenous languages.

He said court proceedings and Parliamentary Hansard among other official
documents, will also be written in Kiswahili when the legislation goes through.
Anami was speaking in Eldoret when he presided over Marakwet Cultural Day at
Eldoret Municipal Hall.

He said an East African Kiswahili Council comprising of the language experts had
been formed to work on the modalities of adopting Kiswahili as East Africa's
official language.