Swahili holds official status in four core countries, with broader recognition across the East African Community (EAC).

Fully Official Countries

Country Status Details 
Tanzania Sole national language since 1961; used in government, primary education, media. 95% fluency rate.
Kenya National language (1964), official (2010); compulsory in all schools. Co-official with English.
Uganda Official alongside English since 2022; mandatory in primary/secondary curricula.
Democratic Republic of Congo One of four national languages (with French, Lingala, Kikongo); lingua franca in east.

EAC Bloc Recognition

Swahili ranks as one of three official languages (with English, French) for the EAC, covering eight nations: Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda. This enables parliamentary use, trade standardization, and cross-border education, though implementation varies—Rwanda emphasizes Kinyarwanda primarily, Somalia uses it regionally.

Other Recognized Areas

  • Rwanda/Burundi: National working language in EAC contexts; school subject.​

  • Mozambique: Official minority language in north (Mwani dialect).​

  • Comoros: Comorian dialect (Shingazija) nationally official.​

Tanzania uniquely mandates Swahili exclusively for unity post-independence, unlike multilingual peers