East Africa: Region Urged to Amend Treaty to Recognise French, Kiswahili Use

21 June 2023
The New Times (Kigali)
By Emmanuel Ntirenganya

The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) has recommended amending the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community (EAC) to enforce the recognition of French and Kiswahili as official languages within the Community.

During a plenary held on June 20 in Arusha, Tanzania, the Assembly adopted the report of its Committee on Legal, Rules, and Privileges, which examined the implementation of Protocols and Laws governing EAC Institutions.

The report highlighted that although the 21st Meeting of the Summit of EAC Heads of State, held on February 27, 2021, recognized Kiswahili and French as official languages of the EAC, the necessary amendments to the legal instruments, including the Treaty, have not been made to implement that decision.

The Assembly endorsed the Committee's report and its recommendation "to urge the Council of Ministers to expedite the amendment of the relevant provision of the Treaty, facilitating the adoption of Kiswahili and French as official languages of the Community."

Currently, Article 137 of the treaty stipulates English as the official language of the EAC, while also stating that Kiswahili shall be developed as a lingua franca of the Community. A lingua franca is a language adopted and used as a common means of communication among people who do not share a native language.

MP Jeremiah Odok Woda from South Sudan emphasized the urgent need for legislative changes to accommodate French and Kiswahili in the bloc.

"The Community knew that we are adding the Democratic Republic of Congo, where most of the members and most of the citizens speak either Kiswahili or French, and it is not fair when we are seated here for our colleagues not really to contribute, not that they don't know, but they are not able to express themselves."

"It's due time that French and Kiswahili be admitted as the official languages as it has already been decided by the Heads of State," Woda added.

David Ole Sankok who represents Kenya also highlighted the language barrier as a hindrance to effective communication between EALA members who speak French or Kiswahili and those who speak English, thereby impeding parliamentary work.

Rebecca Kadaga, Uganda's first Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for EAC Affairs, spoke on behalf of the EAC Council of Ministers and said, "We have taken a decision that we are going to advertise for French translators and interpreters, but even at the moment there is a rudimentary amount of staff who have started work to support our French-speaking colleagues."

Kadaga further expressed her confidence that the matter would be addressed at the next Council meeting, and adequate support would be provided for colleagues who speak French before the end of the year.

Read the original article on New Times.

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