Aisha Jumwa urges EAC to embrace Kiswahili for regional unity

Delivering the keynote address during the official opening session of the 2nd East African Kiswahili Commission (EAKC) International Conference in Mombasa, Kenya, 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,” she stated.

Jumwa 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.

The two-day conference precedes the 3rd EAC World Kiswahili Language Day set for Sunday, 7th July. The three-day celebrations are aimed at exploring the role of Kiswahili and multilingual education in fostering a culture of peace.