By KPC Reporter
There was celebration and reflection in Zanzibar as dignitaries, diplomats, youth representatives and officials from the East African Community gathered to mark the 10th Anniversary of the East African Kiswahili Commission.
The milestone event placed Kiswahili at the heart of regional unity, spotlighting its growing influence as a language that binds East Africans culturally, socially and economically.
Delivering the keynote address, Zanzibar’s Second Vice President Hemed Suleiman Abdalla underscored Kiswahili’s historic and enduring role as the linguistic bridge of East Africa.
He noted that over the past decade, the Commission has spearheaded landmark initiatives including the First International Kiswahili Conference in 2017 and the inaugural World Kiswahili Day in 2022, both hosted in Zanzibar.
He hailed UNESCO for adopting Kiswahili as an official working language in 2025, describing the move as a global breakthrough that elevated the language’s stature as the first of African origin to attain such recognition.
He reaffirmed Zanzibar’s commitment to advancing Kiswahili through policy frameworks such as Vision 2050 and national development plans, positioning the language as both a heritage to preserve and a resource to promote through education and cultural tourism.
Executive Secretary Caroline Asiimwe highlighted the Commission’s achievements in professionalizing and expanding Kiswahili usage across sectors.
She pointed to extensive programs that have trained teachers, translators, journalists and language developers, alongside research publications and international conferences that have broadened Kiswahili scholarship.
She emphasized that Kiswahili has evolved into a global language of education, diplomacy, commerce, science and technology, with future prospects in artificial intelligence and digital knowledge systems.
She urged stakeholders to invest more in its growth, framing its protection and promotion as a generational responsibility.
Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, lauded the Commission’s decade of service and reaffirmed her country’s commitment to mainstreaming Kiswahili through education and public awareness initiatives.
She described the anniversary as both a celebration of progress and a renewed pledge by partner states to deepen collaboration in strengthening the language as a pillar of regional integration.
The ceremony drew participants from EAC organs, diplomatic missions, academia and youth organizations, all united by a shared vision of Kiswahili as more than a means of communication.