Implementation Progress of the 1986/2006 African Union Language Plan of Action for Africa in Zimbabwe

The African Union Language Plan of Action for Africa requires African Union Member States to adopt clearly defined language policies which liberate Africans from undue reliance on ex-colonial languages as the official languages, in favour of the gradual take-over of African languages. This article e...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of African Union Studies 2024-08, Vol.13 (2), p.43-65
Main Author: Ndlovu, Eventhough
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
African languages
African Union
Book publishing
Ex-colonial Languages
Implementation
Language
Language Plan of Action for Africa
Language policy
Official languages
Officials and employees
Zimbabwe
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Summary:The African Union Language Plan of Action for Africa requires African Union Member States to adopt clearly defined language policies which liberate Africans from undue reliance on ex-colonial languages as the official languages, in favour of the gradual take-over of African languages. This article examines the progress made by Zimbabwe in the implementation of the thrusts of the Plan. Data from observations and document analysis show that not much has been done in implementing the Plan. There is no clearly defined national language policy. English is the most predominantly used language in all high function domains. African languages are still relegated to the periphery. Shona and Ndebele, alongside English, are thwarting and subduing the use and development of other local languages and their speakers. This violates the speakers’ rights. Zimbabwe must urgently implement the four resolutions of the June 2022 National Indaba in order to implement the provisions of the Plan.
ISSN:2050-4292
2050-4306
DOI:10.31920/2050-4306/2024/13n2a3