King Charles III of the United Kingdom showcased his fluency in Swahili during a state banquet hosted by President William Ruto at State House.
He began his speech with a Swahili greeting,
“Mabibi na mabwana, hamjambo! Niaje! Ni furaha yangu kuwa nanyi jioni ya leo,” which translates to “
Ladies and gentlemen, good evening, how are you, it is a pleasure to be with you this evening.”
He also used another Swahili word,
“Najiskia ni kama niko Nyumbani,” which means “
I feel like I am at home,” to express his delight at visiting Kenya, a Commonwealth country with a long history with the UK.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived in Kenya on Monday night and were received by Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, and British High Commissioner to Kenya, Neil Wigan.
The visit aims to explore ways to boost mutual prosperity, tackle climate change, and promote youth opportunities and employment.