THE United Nations should adopt Kiswahili as an official working language to get on board an authentic African language that is a lingua franca in most parts of Africa, the Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Dr Damas Ndumbaro has said.
He said in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday that it was time United Nations adopted Kiswahili as one of its official languages because it is the only true authentic and indigenous African language that is widely spoken across the globe.
“It is high time now the UN adopts Kiswahili as its official language, and we believe when we are celebrating the next 78th United Nations anniversary will be using Kiswahili. This will be after it has been accepted by the UN,” said Dr Ndumbaro at the event to commemorate the United Nations Day which was accompanied by launching of the first and only UN website in Kiswahili.
Kiswahili is a lingua franca in the African Great Lakes region and East and Southern Africa, including some parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Malawi, Mozambique, the southern tip of Somalia, and Zambia.
It is considered as the tenth most spoken language, which is spoken by over 200 million people globally.
It is one of three official languages of the East African Community (EAC), and one of the working languages of the African Union and of the Southern African Development Community.
He pointed out that Tanzania, as the birth place of Kiswahili language takes pride in the landmark decision by the United Nations Educational and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) of November 23, last year to designate July 7 as the World Kiswahili Language Day.
The minister said that due to the decision, the first International Day of Kiswahili was commemorated this year.
He commended the UNESCO and the United Nations for promoting multilingualism as an essential element in achieving the 2030 Agenda for as an essential element in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs).
“We are also appreciative of all the roles being played by various stakeholders in the growth of Kiswahili language.
“I applaud the efforts of UN Tanzania in creating the Kiswahili website that we have launched… this will not only promote the use of Kiswahili but it will also make the UN website more accessible by a bigger Tanzania readership,” said Dr Ndumbaro.
He welcomed other development partners to follow suit by adding Kiswahili to their own websites, noting that when delivering a message to people using the language they understand it can be widely disseminated.
Expounding further, the minister attributed the launch of the website as a huge deserved stepping stone towards recognising Kiswahili as a crucial language.
The UN Resident Coordinator, Mr Zlatan Milisic, commended the government of Tanzania for its longstanding, sustained commitment to the United Nations and multilateralism.
“This UN birthday is perhaps also an opportune time to reflect on the future,” said Mr Milisic, pointing out that the second “SDG Summit” – the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development under the auspices of the General Assembly will be convened in September 2023 during the General Assembly high-level week in New York.
He said that the summit will mark the mid-point in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
“It is only by ensuring that we have all hands on deck, while addressing inequalities and emphasizing that no one is left behind , will we be able to achieve the SDGs,” stressed the UN Resident Coordinator.
For his part, the Executive Director of the UN Association of Tanzania, Mr Reynald Maeda, called for government financial inclusion, economic empowerment, inclusive representation and meaningful participation in decision making by the youth for true meaning of inclusive community.
Source: allafrica.com
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Dar es Salaam — Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has declared an outbreak of Marburg virus, confirming a single case in the northwestern region of Kagera after a meeting with WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The confirmation follows days of speculation about a possible outbreak in the region, after the WHO reported a number of deaths suspected to be linked to the highly infectious disease.
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Subsequent laboratory tests conducted at Kagera’s Kabaile Mobile Laboratory and confirmed in Dar es Salaam identified one positive case, while 25 other suspected cases tested negative, the president told a press conference in Dodoma, in the east of the country today (Monday).
“The epicentre has now shifted to Biharamulo district of Kagera,” she told the press conference, distinguishing this outbreak from the previous one centred in Bukoba district.
Tedros said the WHO would release US$3 million from its emergencies contingency fund to support efforts to contain the outbreak.
Health authorities stepped up surveillance and deployed emergency response teams after the WHO raised the alarm about nine suspected cases in the region, including eight deaths.
The suspected cases displayed symptoms consistent with Marburg infection, including headache, high fever, diarrhoea, and haemorrhagic complications, according to the WHO’s alert to member countries on 14 January. The organisation noted a case fatality rate of 89 per cent among the suspected cases.
“We appreciate the swift attention accorded by the WHO,” Hassan said.
She said her administration immediately investigated the WHO’s alert.
“The government took several measures, including the investigation of suspected individuals and the deployment of emergency response teams,” she added.
Cross-border transmission
The emergence of this case in a region that experienced Tanzania’s first-ever Marburg outbreak in March 2023 has raised concerns about cross-border transmission, particularly following Rwanda’s recent outbreak that infected 66 people and killed 15 before being declared over in December 2024.
The situation is particularly critical given Kagera’s position as a transport hub connecting four East African nations.
Amelia Clemence, a public health researcher working in the region, says constant vigilance is required.
“We never know when an outbreak might occur in a neighbouring nation. So we ensure infection prevention control assessments at every point of care as routine as a morning greeting at our workplaces.”
The Kagera region’s ecosystem, home to fruit bats that serve as natural reservoirs for the Marburg virus, adds another layer of complexity to disease surveillance efforts.
The virus, closely related to Ebola, spreads through contact with bodily fluids and can cause severe haemorrhagic fever.
Transparency urged
Elizabeth Sanga, shadow minister of health for Tanzania’s ACT Wazalendo opposition party, says greater transparency would help guide public health measures.
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“This could have helped to guide those who are traveling to the affected region to be more vigilant and prevent the risk of further spread,” she said.
WHO regional director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti says early notification of investigation outcomes is important.
“We stand ready to support the government in its efforts to investigate and ensure that measures are in place for an effective and rapid response,” she said, noting that existing national capacities built from previous health emergencies could be quickly mobilised.
The situation coincides with leadership changes in Tanzania’s Ministry of Health, with both the chief medical officer and permanent secretary being replaced.
This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.
Source: allafrica.com
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