Which is correct, Kenya’s ‘Lipa na M-Pesa’ or Tanzania’s ‘Lipa kwa M-Pesa’?
A simple mobile money transfer signage has opened debate on the differences between Swahili spoken in Kenya and Tanzania.
So here is the question. Did Safaricom get it wrong when they said Lipa na M-Pesa? Well, Tanzanians seem to think so. In Tanzania you are told to Lipa kwa M-Pesa.
The signage telling customers in Tanzania to lipa kwa has had many people asking who is correct between the two countries.
Our Swahili is very wanting. In TZ it’s Lipa kwa M-Pesa pic.twitter.com/fp6ZP4mN74
— Elric (@elric_olalekan) July 10, 2017
According to Taifa Leo editor Juma Namlola, Kenyans do not like to use the proper terminologies and vocabulary especially when speaking in Swahili.
“The two, na and kwa, are used differently and also on different occasions. Grammatically kwa is the correct word to use,” said Namlola.
He gave an example of how Kenyans like to use the word na in almost every conversation. Nilikula kuku na ugali, which he says is wrong same as saying nilienda nyumbani na matatu. This comes to what you did and used at the time, according to Namlola.
In the above two examples, he said one should use kwa instead of na.
“When you say Nilikula kuku na ugali, it literally means that the kuku (chicken) accompanied you to the restaurant,” he says.
But do all Kenyans agree? Here are some of their sentiments in the ongoing conversation on social media.
So who is correct? Lipa na OR Lipa kwa?
— Bwenyeye Oliver (@OliverSalehe) July 10, 2017
Kiswahili sio mdomo chetu. Lol.
— Bwenyeye Oliver (@OliverSalehe) July 10, 2017
Lmao for a few seconds nimesoma "Hakuna matako" I'm truly Kenyan ?
— TY Sh (@1Twiri) July 10, 2017
Mpesa ni yetu. We can even say "Lipa kwenye Mpesa.
— Këvo Nursery DropØut (@Kevo_BabaYo) July 10, 2017
i like where you are taking this one, perfect swahili for who? for what? lipa kwenye mpesa buda.
— Sword Inc™ (@swordinc) July 10, 2017
lipa kwa = "pay by"
lipa na = "pay with"
both are correct, depends on which term is common in which region.— kanyi (@kanyi) July 10, 2017
Utampata kwa/kwenye simu
Unalipa kwa kutumia blah blah
Of course kwa is the correct one ila kwetu sisi tafash— Murume (@Ammateri) July 11, 2017
You could have said, " Kiswahili chetu kinataka sana, TZ wana lipa kwa mpesa." Makes sense
— G9 (@Xermist) July 12, 2017
@Eric,
Why do you think TZ has it right? We could be the right ones here. Give us some thumbs up too.— Dr. Sam Nyaoke (@snyaoke) July 10, 2017
