Kiswahili as an official language of AU

[Warrior of Light]

>>>>Never to late to learn another lingo

 

July 6, 2004

Posted to the web July 6, 2004

Matome Sebelebele

Addis Ababa

 

 

The African Union (AU) has adopted Swahili as its official language, practicing what it has been preaching about the use of indigenous languages. Africa's widely spoken language had its first try here with outgoing AU chairperson Joaquim Chissano delivering his entire speech in Swahili, during the opening of the AU Heads of State and Government Summit, which began here this morning.

Delegates including President Thabo Mbeki and Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma welcomed the historic language with prolonged applause.

 

About 50 million people in East Africa and Central Africa,particularly in Tanzania, including Zanzibar and Kenya speak Swahili.

In addition to the two regions, many people in Uganda, Somalia,Mozambique, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) speak Swahili as a first or secondlanguage.

 

Although Swahili takes its roots from the African Bantu language, it is heavily influenced by Arabic as a result of the long-standing trade relationships in the region.The word Swahili means coast in Arabic. The dialect also had many contemporary words adapted from English.

 

The Mozambican leader, who spoke the language eloquently, urged delegates and their countries to "learn" the language saying like any other the language was unique and "it has a lot of wisdom, culture and dignity" that would not be translated or found elsewhere.

 

The move means that all AU documents would be printed in the language. This could however take months as it is a costly exercise to reprint documents.

 

Since its days as the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the continental organ has been using English, French and Arabic as its main languages emanating from colonial times, where Africans were forced to adopt the master's foreign languages.

 

However, today's move was long overdue following calls to have an indigenous language with many African scholars and writers advocating the promotion of African languages in official documents, books and literature.

Internationally renowned writers such as Kenyan Ngugi wa Thiongo, who himself writes in Swahili, and his South African counterpart E'skia Mphahlele, have constantly argued that the language would further enhance African Unity .

[JustCause]

I am glad to know some day soon my Swahili would have some use in an official capacity. I am looking forward to the days when I wont have to write, read and speak the master language!

 

Long live Swahili.

 

P.S. My written Swahili is almost non-existent at the moment, will starting learning soon!

[mojam]

What was the language of the AU before? Don't tell me French or English.

 

either way i'm glad, they are adopting an African language.

[raula]

good then, I dont have to stress no more about expressing myself in SWA for some forum members here At last Iam liberated :rolleyes:

[Blessed]

^^lol nayaaa. Stop the qeylo man. and also, remeber how I paid your crusty sujui behind so much of my shopping money for Sawahili classes? Why aren't you delivering :mad: :mad:

 

I've always wanted to learn Sawahili and this makes me even more determined to do so. Well done Africa, well done :cool:

 

Mojam,

It was English...

 

Makes it hard for the average Somalis- eh?

[Viking]

It's good to have Swahili instead of using the colonialists' language. The Francophone and the Anglophone have always been in conflict.

 

 

Nyerere must be smiling!

[raula]

lol Meenah..I did deliver them services..but your demanding behind said that I wasn't giving you your money's worth :rolleyes: ..so I retrieved from it :mad: , not to mention that I was instructing the best kind of swahili( SLANG Swahili=SHENG !) .

[Gediid]

So was this meant to be a step forward or backwards.Africans will continue to amaze.Why spend millions translating documents and nameplates in the AU headquarters when children are dying by the thousands daily in Africa.What will such a stunt do knowing that Africans will continue to converse, teach in English or French.

It shows the level of intellect that those dumb fat African leaders possess.

No offense to people who speak Kiswahili but I just dont see why its important for fat bureaucrats at AU headquarters to know kiswahili when all they do amounts to ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

[raula]

^^^^ala he just called me and my kind FAT african bureaucrats .

[Warrior of Light]

Viking

Nyerere must be smiling!

Cant disagree there but I beleive writers like the late Shabaan Robert will be joining in

 

Raula,

dada Sheng isnt formal swa.Its colourful but isnt the tip of the cake like swahili sanifu from the coasal regions like zanzibar and mombasa.

 

Gedid,

look at the positive side it may be a cause of unity in the african region where we still differences due to ethnicity or tribal attachment. The late Nyerere managed to unite all tanzanian due to this language there was no segregation and we never had an internal turmoil. His economic plans failed but he created a tolerant peaceful country. Long live Tanzania na ujamaa.

 

Ameenah

dada can give u free classes. Bila senti mmoja

 

Kiswahili oyee, sasa mnasemaje wazee wenzangu?? Nyama choma wapi?? au Tarabu iko wapi?? Au tutakwenda sikiliza mawaidha msikiti gani--I say would love to experience the Lamu Maulid

[Liqaye]

Of all the myriad of problems facing the african continent some grandstanding from his excellency the hallucinator gets our attention?

 

Besides language is a communicates it esscence is up to you.

I think swahili will not be implemented as an A.U language for the simple reason that the beuracrats will bury it and continue with night life off Addis.

 

Pathetic

But I aint wrong.