President Ruto, Larry Madowo tickle Tanzanians as Kenya's poor grasp of Kiswahili takes centrestage

Suluhu, not one to mince her words on anything Kenya, was addressing the Africa Food Summit in Dar Es Salaam where she took time to poke fun at Kenya's not-so-refined mastery of the language, adding that President Ruto, at an earlier Nairobi function, had taught delegates the wrong version of sending greetings.

"Habari za mchana...," she started. "Juzi Ruto alitufundisha semeni Jambo, tukasema Jambo. Lakini the real thing ni 'Habari za mchana'."

Amid laughter from the crowd, Samia added that Kenyans direly needed Kiswahili lessons as they couldn't even get the right words to mean 'signing a contract'.

"Hawa wakenya hawa, kwenda ku sign mkataba wanasema kuweka kidole mkataba. Inabidi tuwaweke kwenye lessons za Kiswahili..." she said.

Later, Madowo joined in, stating that he was forced to defend his President (Ruto), while also adding that the Kenya-Tanzania language butchery was two-pronged. 

"Lazima nimtetee Rais wangu Ruto, sababu unajua sisi Wakenya na Watanzania sisi ni mandugu wa karibu. Wakenya tunaongelesha waTanzania kwa Kiswahili mbaya, wanatujibu na Kizungu mbaya, tunaendelea, tunasonga mbele kama injili...." he said as the crowd roared in laughter.

Afterwards, President William Ruto also created a light moment after he teased President Samia Suluhu for repeatedly using the phrases 'Azimio' and 'Kuchochea' in her speech.

While addressing the delegates on Thursday, a good-humoured Ruto expressed his discomfort at Samia's constant use of the words as they obviously gave him a whole different idea. 

"We find problems when our neighbours tell us to speak in Swahili. I heard the speech of President Suluhu and when I was listening, I got to learn new words. I got to learn that there is kuchochea kilimo. In our country, kuchochea (incitement) is mostly done by politicians." Ruto teased. 

While still in the mood to banter, Ruto reminded President Samia that the word 'Azimio' was a hot button back at home and that in Kenya, it meant a virulent opposition.

"I have heard you repeating Azimio and I got a little bit worried because where I come from, Azimio is totally different. They are the opposition party that can cause a lot of trouble. I have got to know that Azimio can also mean good things," he joked.