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Mbeya students host major Kiswahili symposium
2008-03-21 10:01:15
By Thobias Mwanakatwe, PST, Mbeya
More than 400 students from 30 higher learning institutions in the country will participate in a Kiswahili symposium to be held at the Teofilo Kisanji University in Mbeya city.
According to the university`s Association of Kiswahili Experts (CHAWAKITE) public relations officer, Adeltius Kazinduki, the symposium, which has been convened by the East African Association of Students Learning Kiswahili (CHAWAKAMA) and started yesterday and ends today, would also incorporate secondary school students in Mbeya Region.
He said papers to be discussed would include Kiswahili`s role in reducing the spread of HIV/Aids infections in Tanzania, intelligentsia`s view on the role of the language in various social sectors and its role in the context of the media in the country.
Other papers, according to the PRO, would dwell on the contribution of various organisations aimed at enhancing Kiswahili, difficulties entailed in the use of the language in various fora and the influx of foreign words in boosting the language.
Meanwhile, CHAWAKITE chairman Philip Bwandilo said the aim of the symposium was to ensure that university students contributed towards the enhancement of the language in east and central African countries.
Bwandilo said despite the pitfalls encountered in strengthening Kiswahili, his association was determined to ensure that the language spread to other countries in Africa.
CHAWAKITE secretary Neema Kibona observed that her association\'s strategy was to ensure Tanzanians and people from other African countries respected the language instead of holding alien languages in high esteem.
At the same time, the association`s chief editor, Joel Munuo, and the treasurer, Marcus Nazi, maintained that globalisation immensely contributed to the weakening of Kiswahili, particularly in the fields of science and technology.
``However, despite the said realities we have to be steadfast in conserving our cultures and customs so that they are not swept away by the current global changes,`` said Munuo.
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