Tags: Microsoft

Microsoft targets Africa with Kiswahili language software

World’s largest software company Microsoft is now aiming to gain market share in the east and central African market with their latest releases of software application in Kiswahili language. Microsoft’s regional manager Isaiah Okoth said in a statement on these releases: “We see this as a turning point for us as technology plays such an important part in our lives here in the region.”

He added: “When computers are easy to use and relevant they can be embraced far more widely and used far more effectively.” He was speaking at the news conference to unveil Kiswahili versions of Microsoft’s Office, Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint programs. Okoth also said that this was the first time that the US-based company under its new Local Language Program is releasing such applications.

The program is designed to develop translated versions of Microsoft software into 40 regional tongues by the end of 2006. This latest release targets the consumer base in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. They would soon enter the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The company took the help of a team of linguistics experts to create a glossary of over 3,000 Swahili words for common computer terms.