This study investigates contact-induced grammatical change with specific emphasis on the prefinal imperfectives –ang and -ag in Swahili. Strategies for marking tense and aspect in Swahili and Bantu languages have been analyzed in a number of books, book chapters and articles. Despite the incontrovertible upsurge in the use of prefinal imperfectives, particularly in communicative interactions amongst the youth in urban settings, investigations into this phenomenon are scarce. Based on naturally occurring data obtained in Nairobi, Kenya and observations and interpretations, this study attempts to analyze the morphosyntactic and semantic features of prefinal imperfectives –ang and -ag in Swahili. First, background information conducive to understanding this grammatical change is provided. This includes the standardization of Swahili and its impact on present-day Swahili, strategies to mark tense and aspect in Swahili and other Bantu languages, semantic features of imperfectivity in Swahili, the prominent roles of mimesis in acquiring a second language in contact situations, the S-curve of language change and its applicability, and the disadvantages of prescriptive grammar rules. All these key concepts and topics are interrelated, and less researched topics must be included to systemically and clearly explain language change. Accordingly, this study is designed to enhance our understanding regarding one of the aspects of grammatical change from both synchronic and diachronic perspectives.

That language plays a pivotal and integral role in making political processes participatory and inclusive, and socioeconomic development sustainable has been commonsensically presumed to be a well-established fact. Language is not simply a means of mutual communication, but also a potent tool for social inclusion and exclusion, resulting in having both a positive and negative social impact. In this sense the use of African languages in all social domains for making sure of the concretization of inclusive political participation and representation as well as sustainable socioeconomic development. Despite being considered to be an exemplary country that has pursued an active endoglosic language policy, Tanzania has an uphill task in facilitating participatory democracy and sustainable socioeconomic development by virtue of the ease of language understanding with which people can make them understood in everyday life. What is imperatively needed in making participatory democracy and sustainable socioeconomic development possible and feasible is a strong political will and its implementation. In tandem with a strong political will and its implementation in the conduct of national affairs, a ceaseless and concerted effort needs to be made with a view to capacitating Swahili to make a meaningful contribution to participatory democracy and sustainable socioeconomic development. Furthermore, corpus planning that refers to an institutional effort for creating standards for Swahili has to be done.

Tanzaniahasbeen rightlyknownasoneofthemostsuccessfulinstancesofhavingpursued an active endoglossic language policy as well as of promoting an indigenous African language, namely Swahili, as the medium of instruction.Since the early years of independence Swahili has been adopted as the medium ofinstruction forprimary education.Currently, students atsecondary and tertiary levels have to use English as the medium ofinstruction.Thesuddentransitionfrom SwahilitoEnglishhas beenblamedasoneoftherootcausesofthecurrentcrisisofeducational standards. Many scholars both from Tanzania and abroad have consistently pointed outthatthe problem ofthe medium ofinstruction resultsineducationalfailure,buttheTanzaniangovernmenthascontinued to be half-hearted in this matterbased on an exaggerated beliefthat Englishplaysapivotalroleintheageofglobalization.Englishintoday's Tanzania is almostsynonymous with upward socialmobility,and even English-medium primaryschoolshavebeenmushroominginrecentyears. Theconflictbetweenindividualsandofficiallanguagepolicyisinevitable, because the former prefers English as a medium ofinstruction atall levelsandthelattertriestomaintainSwahiliatleastatprimary levels. Foralanguage-in-educationpolicytobeviable,multi-facetedapproaches need to beintroduced and applied to reflectchanging socialrealities in Tanzanian society.The language-in-education policy also needs to be considered in the contextofsocialinequalities and the distribution of limitedresourcesamongmembersofthesociety.