Why MPs must get it right when delivering speeches in Kiswahili

I was greatly impressed to see an MP making maiden speech in Kiswahili. However, this member really struggled to get the correct terminologies to freely express herself.

In this instance, another member rose on a point of order (Hoja ya nidhamu), the member on the floor, being familiar with the parliamentary rule that bars anybody from interfering with a member’s maiden speech, sought to cite this rule in her defence: She really struggled to get the Kiswahili translation of maiden speech and could be heard asking “Ile maiden speech yaitwaje…”

Another terminology that was obviously giving members of Parliament a hard time was the term ‘house’ in reference to Parliament. In my opinion, there is absolutely no need of translating this term to ‘house’.

It would be fine to just remain with the term bunge; such that the Speaker would say ‘Bunge hili limehairishwa hadi kesho’ for ‘this house stands adjourned till tomorrow’.

At some point a member was overheard saying ‘Siipotezi nyumba hii’ to mean ‘I am not misleading the House’. This particular phrase brings yet another interesting, but related angle to this whole issue of translating English terms to Kiswhaili.

Mother tongue

The issue here is where people use words that sound almost the same in place of each other (I am not talking of synonyms here).

The correct term here would be ‘kupotosha’ which would be the most appropriate translation for ‘mislead’ as opposed to ‘kupoteza’ which would actually mean to ‘lose’. I have heard people on a number of occasions talking of “Wanaogombania kiti cha…” to mean those ‘vying for’ or ‘contesting for’ a certain seat/position …and yet this means those ‘quarrelling over’. The correct phrase here would be “Wanaogombea kiti cha…”.

I suggest that as a matter of urgency, Parliament should embark on developing and promoting Kiswahili terminologies to be used in transacting and engaging in parliamentary business.

I am sure this will go a long way in, not only putting Kiswahili in its rightful place as an official language in Kenya, but would also help the various county leaders across the country who have had even a greater challenge in the issue of language to a point that some have suggested the use of mother tongue.

What our MPs should know is that the sessions are live on TVs and children who go to school could have the opportunity to watch. We don’t want to introduce our children to broken Kiswahili.

 Ng’ania Geoffrey Sabila, Kitale