10 best Swahili words you should know as a Pan African

Kiswahili or Swahili is a Bantu language that is widely spoken in East Africa today. According to the United Nations, Kiswahili is a language spoken by over 200 million people. It is the most widely used African language. Kiswahili is the national and official language in Tanzania and Kenya. The language is also spoken by people in Central Africa. You can't help yourself to like how some Central Africans speak Kiswahili with their Congolese accent, it is always amazing.

Recently, countries such as Uganda and South Africa (Azania) have introduced Kiswahili as a subject in schools. Many thanks to the countries in East Africa for championing the global adoption of Kiswahili. Today Kiswahili is used as a language of communications in the African Union (AU) and East African Commission's (EAC) sittings. In efforts led by the East African countries, the United Nations (UN) designated the 7th of July every year as World Kiswahili Day.

As reported on the official UN website, Professor Kennedy Gastorn, Tanzanian’s Permanent Representative to the UN headquarters in New York said that the day was chosen because on 7 July 1954, the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) led by Julius Nyerere, made a declaration that Kiswahili will be an important tool in the fight for independence. Currently, it is a major tool for Tanzania's cohesion - and East Africa at large.

Key Kiswahili words in the Pan African dictionary with their English translations

1. Jambo/ Habari - How are you?

    Ans. Nzuri/ Njema - I am okay!

             Sio Nzuri/ Mbaya - I am not okay!

2. Jina lako nani? - What is your name?

    Ans. Jina langu ni... - My name is....

3. Umoja/ Ujamaa - Unity

     Note: Ujamaa philosophy is African socialism

4. Hakuna Matata - No worries

5. Mzalendo - Patriot

    Also "Uzalendo" - Patriotism

6. Amani - Peace

7. Shujaa - Hero

8. Mwafrika - African

    Also "Mimi ni mwafrika" - I am an African

9. Uhuru - Freedom

10. Mweusi - Black

       Also "mtu mweusi" - A black person

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Kiswahili is aimed at being the unifying language of Africans. It is encouraging to realize that most Africans have embraced this well enough. Some Africans in the diaspora are also learning Kiswahili. Kiswahili content has been embraced worldwide with its top East African artists like Diamond Platnamz and Mejja performing on the world stage. Hollywood has also produced some movies with Kiswahili phrases in them notably; Lion King (1994), Black Panthers (2018), Ali (2001) etc.