Language

Kiswahili and English are the official languages. The terms Swahili and Kiswahili are used interchangeably, though the term Swahili normally refers to the people while Kiswahili refers to the language. Originating along the coast, Kiswahili is a Bantu language with many words derived from Arabic. Other African languages such as Bantu and those of Nilo-Hamitic and Khoisan origin are also spoken.

Over 100 languages are spoken in Tanzania, most of them from the Bantu family. After independence, the government recognized that this represented a problem for national unity, and as a result introduced the Swahili language (Kiswahili) as the only official language. The government introduced it in all primary schools to spread its use.

Given the conditions of the period, it was not possible to introduce the language in the entire educational system, because the scale of the task of writing Swahili textbooks for primary schools was already considerable. As a result English (which has been the colonial language since the end of the First World War) is still the language of high schools and universities. However, the great majority of the population have accepted Swahili, thus English is generally well known.

Kiswahili literature

Some writers include:

Shaaban Robert
Penina Muhando Mlama
Amandina Lihamba
Edwin Semzaba
Euphrase Kezilahabi
Elvis Musiba
Shafi Adam Shafi
Chachage Seith Chachage