Angelus Mnenuka: Swahili Has the Best Chance of Acceptance Throughout the African Continent
Angelus Mnenuka, senior lecturer at the Institute of Kiswahili Studies (IKS) at Dar es Salaam University
Mmerikani’s Substack consists of sourced, edifying quotes in a dual-language format (Swahili & English). I am a Quaker, runner, and was formally trained in Swahili.
[Scroll down for the English]
KISWAHILI
[Madondoo kutoka kwa sura la kitabu lililochangiwa na Angelus Mnenuka “Dhima ya Fasihi ya Kiswahili katika Utangamano, Utambulisho wa Uafrika na Uatamizi wa Fasihi ya Kiafrika” (2022).]
“Kwa ujumla, fasihi ya Kiswahili, kutokana na utajiri wake mkubwa unaotokana na mseto wa waandishi wenye mitazamo, asili, tajiriba, historia, elimu, imani, na mirengo tofauti ya kisiasa imejumuisha maudhui anuwai ambayo yanaakisi karibu pembe zote za bara la Afrika. Kwa maneno mengine, fasihi ya Kiswahili inaweza kuitwa fasihi ya Kiafrika kutokana na kuwa: mosi, ni fasihi pekee ya lugha ya Kiafrika inayokua kwa kasi na iliyokomaa kiusimulizi na kiuandishi; pili, ni fasihi iliyosheheni mseto wa fasihi zenye tamaduni na ontolojia tofautitofauti za Kiafrika, vitu vinavyoipa satua ya kufumbata maudhui ya jamii nyingi za Kiafrika [zaidi].
“[Kwa bahati mbaya, baadhi] ya waandishi wa kazi za fasihi za Kiafrika hutumia lugha za Kizungu kuandika fasihi zao kwa sababu hakuna lugha moja ya Kiafrika inayotumika katika mawasiliano mapana barani Afrika (Adejunmobi, 1999). Kwa mujibu wa baadhi ya wanazuoni na wanasiasa, lugha pekee inayoelekea kukubalika barani Afrika ni Kiswahili (Mulokozi, 2015).”
- Angelus Mnenuka ni mhadhiri mkuu katika Taasisi ya Taaluma za Kiswahili (IKS) katika Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam na mtafiti wenye kujitawala. Ni mwandishi wa machapisho kadhaa yanayochunguza nadharia ya fasihi, fasihi simulizi na fasihi maandishi, na lugha la Kiswahili.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
[Excerpts from Angelus Mnenuka’s book chapter “The Role of Swahili Literature in Compatibility, African Identity and the Evolution of African Literature” (2022).]
“In general, Swahili literature, due to its collection of writers bringing different perspectives, origins, experiences, history, education, faith, and political leanings, embodies a diversity that reflects nearly every corner of the African continent. In other words, Swahili literature can be called African literature for these reasons: first, it is the only literature in an African language that is growing rapidly and is well established both orally and in writing; second, it is a literature that embraces written works from a variety of African cultures and African ontologies, aspects which enable it to readily absorb content from many [more] African communities.
“[Unfortunately, some] African writers use European languages to produce their literature because there is no single African language used for communication across the Africa continent (Adejunmobi, 1999). According to some scholars and politicians, the sole language with the best chance of being accepted throughout Africa is Swahili (Mulokozi, 2015).”
- Angelus Mnenuka is a senior lecturer at the Institute of Kiswahili Studies (IKS) at the University of Dar es Salaam and an independent researcher. He is the author of several publications examining literary theory, oral and written literature, and the Swahili language.
Chanzo (source): Mnenuka, Angelus. “Dhima ya Fasihi ya Kiswahili katika Utangamano, Utambulisho wa Uafrika na Uatamizi wa Fasihi ya Kiafrika.” Book chapter from Kiswahili katika Anga za Kimataifa. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Taasisi ya Uchunguzi wa Kiswahili (TUKI) (Institute of Kiswahili Research), 2022. Accessed on May 30, 2025 from ResearchGate.net at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370658801_Dhima_ya_Fasihi_ya_Kiswahili_katika_Utangamano_Utambulisho_wa_Uafrika_na_Uatamizi_wa_Fasihi_ya_Kiafrika.