MOHAMMED ALI, GWIJI WA KISWAHILI

Every time the investigative journalist Mohammed Ali does an expose, you cannot fail to admire his impeccable command in Swahili. Grab your Kamusi ya Kiswahilifor a trip down memory lane.

 

This takes me back to my primary school days in Tigoni Primary at the heart of the chilly Limuru weather when Mwinyi Kimani Yahya Bin Yusuftaught me ngeli. I remember him teaching sarufi, uakifishaji, and other Swahili concepts. So dedicated was he that we used to write and submit inshas on a weekly basis. Mwinyi Kimani Yahya Bin Yusuf insisted that ‘asiyejuangelihajui Kiswahili’. We would spend numerous lessons on ngeli.

Fast forward to Lenana School.I don’t remember the name of the teacher who taught our class Kiswahili in form one and two but I cannot forget Bi. Nzioka, the head of Idaraya Kiswahili, who taught me us, form three and four. 

She taught me things like nomino,vivumishi,vielezi, viunganishi, vihisishi, vihusishi among others. Ushairiwas a necessary evil. I recall her saying something like: “Hili ni shairi la ukara kwani vina vinalingana katika kila kipande cha ubeti na kutofautiana na vingine vyote katika shairi.” These kinds of explanation would be followed by terms like mishororo, mizani, vina vya ukwapi, mathnawi, tarbia, mtiririko, mazida, inkisari, uhuishiand other funny sounding terms. 

I can also recall mofimu. She explained that mofimu ni kipashio kidogo zaidi na huwasilisha maana maalum ya kisarufi. There were two types of mofimu which she called mofimu tegemezi and mofimu huru. (Do you guys remember those kind of lessons?). There were things like virai na vishazi and we used to do a lot of upambanuzi wa sentensi. Needless to say, Kiswahili was not a cheap subject. You could easily score a strong D if you did not revise frequently. 

Have you ever asked yourself whether it was useful to learn all that? After sitting the last Swahili paper in the national examination, you automatically acquire immunity. You are free to commit all the possible grammar crimes. Most of us murder the language every day in our communication. From politicians to traffic police officers (especially the officers!!! This lot seems to have had zero interaction with the language in their formative years).

Now, think of Mohammed Ali. Who taught him Kiswahili? This guy can publish his own msamiati. There are words he says that Mwinyi Kimani Yahya Bin Yusuf andBi. Nziokadid not mention in any class. And if they did, I missed it!

Let’s start with the titles of some pieces he has done. Ghururi ya Saitoti, Msaragambo wa ardhi, Paruwanja la mihadarati, and the most recent, Zilizala la Westgate. I have never heard of those words in any Swahili class! Never! Where does Moha get them from?

There is also a dramatic flare when he narrates his stories. Picture this: “Ni mimi mwanahabari wenu mpekuzi Mohammed Ali katika makala ya jichopevu. Katika pitapita zetu tulikutana na msichana huyu mdogo kutoka Migori. Kwanza, alianza kutubabaisha na maumbile yake ya kukata na shoka…”Is that an example of jazanda?Probably.

I envy his flawless flow. Consider this: “Ni donda sugu, kizungumkuti, jinamizi.. yote ni misamiati inayozunguka jinamizi la ardhi nchini Kenya. Msaragambo huu wa ardhi ni tanda belua linalodhihirisha wazi kwamba mnyonge msonge, huku wakifanya maovu bila hofu kwani kwao hakimu ni fisi, mbuzi kupata haki ni ndoto. Kitengo chetu cha upekuzi kiliafiki kulivalia njuga hili kwani hapa nchini ni wazi kwamba baniani mbaya kiatu chake dawa”.

Mohammed Ali is the best we have as long as Kiswahili Kituzwe policy is concerned. Can't wait for another Swahili narration!