NMG Staff to Speak Kiswahili For a Day

The Nation Centre building in Nairobi's Kimathi Street where the Nation Media Group offices are located.
The Nation Centre building in Nairobi's Kimathi Street where the Nation Media Group offices are located.
Simon Kiragu
Kenyans.co.ke

The Nation Media Group has set aside one day each month for the use of the language among its employees.

In an announcement on Thursday, May 27, the media house divulged that the move is aimed at intensifying its efforts to promote the use of Kiswahili.

The Kiswahili Day will be on every last Friday of the month, which will see all staff required to communicate in Kiswahili in their conversations and email communications.

File image of a news set at NTV studios in Nairobi
NTV studio at Twin Tower along Kimathi Street.
Twitter

The launch of the Kiswahili day will start Friday May 28, where all NMG staff from its Headquarters in Nairobi and its office in Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Nyeri, Eldoret, Meru, Kisii, and Kakamega will be required to communicate in Kiswahili.

"This move aims to encourage workers and Kenyans in general to be proud of Kiswahili as a language that identifies Kenyans and East Africa as a whole as well as to revive the spirit of pride in African culture.

NMG will continue to take steps to promote Kiswahili through its platforms such as newspapers, TV, radio and other networks," NMG Chief Executive Stephen Gitagama stated.

He explained that the company is also seeking cooperation with other stakeholders such as Government institutions  to promote and disseminate Kiswahili.

Nation Media Group CEO Stephen Gitagama.
Nation Media Group CEO Stephen Gitagama.
Daily Nation

Richard Tobiko, Director of Finance NMG urged the staff to be the Kiswahili language ambassadors.

NMG recently made changes affecting managers and editors in an effort at transformation from a traditional broadcast content provider to a digital operation.

This was after the Kimathi Street based media house recorded a 94% drop in profits citing the Covid-19 pandemic that led to loss of revenue.  

The Nation Centre building in Nairobi's Kimathi Street where the Nation Media Group offices are located. Monday, October 21, 2019
The Nation Centre building located at Kimathi Street, Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD).
Photo
Kenyans.co.ke