Former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga on Sunday left the crowd in stitches when he narrated how Kiswahili language grew in East Africa.
Speaking at Mama Ngina Waterfront Park in Mombasa County, Raila said that the language has grown over decades.
He said that the language has since united the region, adding that Kenyans should embrace the same for the sake of societal growth.
“There is a story short on Kiswahili that says Kiswahili’s origin is the Island of Pate in Lamu. It was nurtured in Ugunja, it matured in Tanzania inland, it became sick in Kenya, and died in Uganda. It was buried in Rwanda and mourned in Congo DRC,” he said leaving crowd in stitches.
(Kuna hadithi ya Kiswahili ambayo inasema Kiswahili ilizaliwa katika kiziwa cha pate kule Lamu ikalelewa kule Unguja, ikabalehe kule Tanzania Bara. Ikashika ugonjwa Kenya Bara, ikakufia kule Uganda, ikazikwa Rwanda na Maombolezi ni Congo DRC)
Raila also lauded the late Freedom fighters Mekatilili Wa Menza and Ronald Ngala. He said that the fight of the liberation heroes is one of the reasons Kenyans are celebrating this day.
The Former Prime Minister was impressed after residents of the region honoured his request to attend the event.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto were present during the event.