Nairobi — President William Ruto drew laughter and applause from Tanzanian Lawmakers after opening his address with a humorous take on the journey of the Kiswahili language during his historic speech in Parliament in Dodoma.

Ruto, who is on a state visit to Tanzania, was invited to address the House a rare diplomatic honour that signaled warming ties between the two countries.

He began in Kiswahili but quickly switched to English after joking about the language's "journey" across East Africa.

"Let me begin my speech by giving you a history of Kiswahili. I came to learn, or was told, that Kiswahili was born in Zanzibar and came of age in mainland Tanzania. When it reached Kenya, it fell ill. By the time it got to Uganda, the illness worsened and it died, and the burial took place in Congo. For that reason, I ask for your forgiveness as I deliver my speech in English," he told the Tanzania legislature.

The President paid tribute to founding leaders Julius Nyerere and Jomo Kenyatta, saying they laid the foundation for regional unity and cooperation.

"They understood that Africa's future would not be secured in isolation but in unity and planted they planted the seed of regional integration because our destinies are intertwined and our strength lies in moving forward together," he said.

Speaker Musa Azzan Zungu warmly welcomed Ruto, describing his visit as a great honour to Tanzania's Parliament.