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Kenya has always been presumed to have 42 languages; but recent research proves that it actually has more than 69 languages, falling among countries in Africa with the highest number of languages, alongside Nigeria which boasts of 527 languages, Chad 133 and Ghana 79.
A publication of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, which researches on global indigenous languages, lists Kenya as having 69 languages; but a report by The Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC) put the number of languages at seventy in 2000, but this included Sheng’ , a Swahili-English slang popular amongst the youth.
Either way, Kenya makes a typical representation of a multilingual society.
Swahili, English and Sheng are the commonly used languages especially in urban areas where Kenyans from different tribes live together; with English being the official language used in international affairs, diplomacy and in government; and Kiswahili being language used for government administration and inter-ethnic communication.
The rest of the Kenyan languages are largely used for intra-ethnic communication in homes and rural areas; with Kikuyu being spoken by 22 per cent of the population; Luhya 14 per cent; Luo 11 per cent, Kalenjin 10 per cent, and Akamba 8 per cent.
Some of the smaller tribes with lesser native speakers include Waata of the Coast (17,400), Yaaku (500), Taveta (24,300). Punjabi (10,000), Omotik (slightly over 300), Goans (just over 4,000), Dahalo (300) and the Gujarati (40,000).
All the languages are divided into three major ethnic groups namely Bantus, Cushites and Nilotes; with the languages in each of the group sharing some linguistic characteristics, and believed to have followed the same migratory route.
The Bantus, consisting of the Kikuyu, Kamba,Meru, Kisii,and Luhyas, among others are believed to have originated from West-Central Africa; while the Cushites consisting of Gabbra, Orma, Sakuye, Galla, Rendille, Boni, Wata, Yaaka and Dahalo; originally came from Ethiopia and Somalia in Northeast Africa. Cushites are concentrated in the northernmost North Eastern Province, which borders Somalia.
The Nilotes, who originally came to Eastern Africa by way of Southern Sudan, are further divided into River Lake Nilotes, consisting of the Luos, The Highland Nilotes consisting of Elgeyo, Keiyo, Kipsigis, Marakwet, Nandi, Pokot, Sabaot, Terik, and Tugen; and The Plain Nilotes consisting of Maasai, Samburu and Turkana.
The multi-ethnic groups and diverse cultures gives Kenya its present character and uniqueness. The presence of such high number of different languages suggests that Kenya, being the cradle of mankind, may also have been an important point of settlement in the ancient times.
But whether one is a kamba, Kalenjin, or kikuyu ‘We are all Kenyans with the same citizenship, destiny, rights, obligations to each other,” said Wang’uhu Ng’ang’a,the author of The Book of Kenya’s Ethnic Communities.
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