The Overview · Kenya
Peoples and Languages
Kenya's peoples belong broadly to three language families — Bantu, Nilotic and Cushitic — reflecting thousands of years of migration, trade and intermarriage.
Bantu-speaking communities include the Kikuyu, Luhya, Kamba, Kisii, Meru and the coastal Mijikenda. Nilotic speakers include the Luo, Kalenjin, Maasai, Turkana and Samburu. Cushitic speakers include the Somali, Borana and Rendille in the north and east.
Kiswahili grew on the coast as a trade language and spread inland. The 2010 constitution made Kiswahili and English the official languages, while guaranteeing respect for Kenya's other languages.
Timeline
- ~3,000 yrs ago
Cushitic-speaking herders settle in parts of Kenya.
- ~500 yrs ago
Luo ancestors migrate south from the Nile region.
- 1974
Kiswahili declared a language of Parliament.
- 2010
New constitution makes Kiswahili an official language.
Key vocabulary
- Language family
- A group of languages that developed from a common ancestor.
- Lingua franca
- A shared language used by speakers of different mother tongues.
Discussion prompt
Why might a country choose a shared national language rather than one community's language?
Quiz time
1. Which language family do the Luo belong to?
2. Besides English, what is Kenya's other official language?
Answer every quiz question correctly above to mark this sub-topic complete.