Language Politics Stir Debate in the East African Parliament
Hon. Masirika Nganiza Dorothé
A recent incident at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) has left some legislators at the ongoing sitting in Arusha concerned that the popular language, Kiswahili, is not being given the priority it deserves. The the exclusion of Kiswahili, the lingua franca and an official language of the East African Community (EAC), from parliamentary debates further brought attention to the absence installation of interpretation equipment for Kiswahili and French, in spite of the two languages having been declared official languages of the EAC in 2021.
According to The East African, the incident unfolded in a sitting on June 23, 2023, when a DRC lawmaker Honorable Dorothe Masirika Nganiza, requested to speak in Kiswahili during a motion on recent terrorist attack now dubbed Uganda School Massacre. However, this plea was met with stiff opposition from fellow lawmakers from nearly all partner states, who emphasized English as the working language of the EAC. that Hon. Nganiza remained standing in the chamber as other MPs interjected on a point of order (a clarification sought as to whether proceedings follow the law).
It is reported that South Sudan’s Gabriel Alaak Garang rose in a huff, saying that, to the best of his knowledge, English was the working language of the EAC. “Those who cannot express themselves in English should look for other alternatives. Matters pertaining to EALA should be transacted in English,” he continued. Mr Garang further cautioned that allowing Kiswahili to be used in EALA could invite new challenges. “Other partner states like South Sudan would propose Arabic,” he said.
This reportedly divided the assembly down the middle, underscoring a fundamental tension between linguistic diversity and effective representation within the EAC. Honorable Mary Mugyenyi from Uganda also intervened, it is reported, saying that since the struggling DR Congo lawmaker “has a point to make,” she should be allowed to speak in Kiswahili.
The East African Legislative Assembly comprise of representatives from the seven EAC member states – DR Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and Kenya. Kiswahili, which is the national language of two member states, Tanzania and Kenya, is developed as the lingua franca of the Community.
Proponents are said to be concerned that Kiswahili is likely to be overtaken by French in official communication within the EAC and its organs and institutions with the increase of French-speaking nations in the bloc. They further argue that the exclusion of Kiswahili marginalizes a significant portion of the population that primarily communicates in the language. Word in the EAC corridors had it that although Kiswahili and French have been cleared as official languages of the bloc, English remains a working language for day-to-day transactions.
This is not the first time that the Kiswahili adoption in the Eastern bloc has come under scrutiny. In March, Kenyan President William Ruto made recommendations to the Speaker of the EALA on the review of the EAC treaty to incorporate the implementation of Kiswahili as an official working language in EAC institutions.
The exclusion of Kiswahili from parliamentary debates in the East African Community (EAC) contradicts the African Union’s stance on the adoption of Kiswahili as a continental language, as well as, question the democratic legitimacy of the EAC. The African Union has been actively promoting the use of Kiswahili as a means of fostering unity and communication across the African continent. In 2004, the African Union declared Kiswahili as one of the official languages of the Union.
