By Rawlings Otieno (standardmedia.co.ke)
The Government has been urged to set aside funds for the development of
Kiswahili language, which is rapidly gaining popularity in East and Central
Africa
.
Academy for African Languages (Acalan) has lauded Kenya for elevating
Kiswahili to an official language and entrenched it in the
Constitution
It challenged the Government to make available funds to support the
initiative.
Culture and National Heritage Minister William ole Ntimama said Kiswahili
has been used as a means of communication to unify Kenyans.
“Kiswahili is a symbol of national pride used to identify the people of East
Africa,” said the minister.
The minister made the remarks in a speech read on his behalf by his
Assistant minister, Wilfred Ombui, during the official opening of the
Planning Workshop for Kiswahili and Malagasi Vehicular, Cross-border
Language Commission in East Africa at a Nairobi hotel on Wednesday.
Ntimama noted that at least 100 million people speak Kiswahili in the region
and promised the participants at the workshop that the Government will help
implement the recommendation they would come up with during the workshop.
The minister added that the resolution to improve the Commission of
Kiswahili in East Africa has vowed to develop the language to strengthen
social fabric among the people.
Acalan Executive Secretary, Prof Sozinho Matsinhe, noted that
Kenya
has
recognised the status of Kiswahili as a language and urged members of the
East African Community to embrace the idea and make it official.
Matsinhe pointed out that 41 cross-border languages have been identified and
12 selected to start Acalan’s work.