Sixty per cent of the total Kiswahili vocabulary count is Bantu, 30 per cent is Arabic and 10 per cent is from other languages - such as English, Portuguese, Chinese and even Gikuyu.
Mzee Nabhany was also very uncomfortable with the rate at which the Kiswahili language was borrowing words from other languages -- particularly due to the explosion of science and technology.
SETTING EXAMS
I agree with Prof Mwangi's observation that students from the Coast perform poorly in exams set in standard Kiswahili.
Prof Mwangi also insinuated that 'upcountry' Kiswahili scholars and writers are doing more exploits with Kiswahili compared with 'native speakers'.
With the advent of devolution, I am sure the problem of regional inequalities and the disadvantaging of native Swahili students is going to be addressed in one way or the other -- but not by re-standardising Kiswahili.
