John speaking Kikamba

Video license

CC BY-NC 4.0

Video file downloads

Dropbox (.mp4)

This video was recorded by Teja Jonnalagadda in Machokos Subcounty, Misuuni, Kenya. Kikamba, also known as Kamba, is a Niger-Congo Bantu language spoken by the Kamba people of Kenya. As of the 2009 census, there are nearly four million speakers of Kamba in Kenya, primarily in the counties of Machakos, Kitui, Makueni, and Kwale, with the Machakos variety being the standard that has been used in translation of the Bible and most books. There are also approximately 5,000 speakers of Kamba in neighboring Tanzania. Kamba is used both at home and in the community, as well as being taught in primary schools. It is widely spoken on radio and television stations, especially in the Eastern province. Speakers have a positive view of Kamba, and the number of speakers in Kenya is increasing. Kamba shares lexical similarities with other Bantu languages such as Kikuyu, Meru, and Embu, all of which are predominantly spoken in Kenya.

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