ðə kˌɑːnstɪtˈuːʃən sˈɛz kɪkˈɑːŋɡoʊ ɪz wˈʌn ʌvðə nˈæʃənəl lˈæŋɡwɪdʒᵻz, bˌʌt ɪn fˈækt ɪɾ ɪz ɐ kɪkˈɑːŋɡoʊbˈeɪst kɹɪˈoʊl, kɪtˈuːbə kɪkˈɑːŋɡoʊ jɐ lˈɛɾə "kɪkˈɑːŋɡoʊ ʌvðə ɡˈʌvɚnmənt", lˈɛɾə bˌiːɪŋ dᵻɹˈaɪvd fɹʌm fɹˈɛntʃ ˈɛlˈeɪɾæt "ðə stˈeɪt"ðæt ɪz jˈuːzd ɪnðə kˌɑːnstɪtˈuːʃən ænd baɪ ðɪ ɐdmˌɪnɪstɹˈeɪʃən ɪnðə pɹˈɑːvɪnsᵻz ʌv bˈæskˈɑːŋɡoʊ wˌɪtʃ ɪz ɪnhˈæbɪɾᵻd baɪ ðə bækˈɑːŋɡoʊ, kwˈæŋɡoʊ, ænd kwˈɪluː.
The constitution says Kikongo is one of the national languages, but in fact it is a Kikongo-based creole, Kituba (Kikongo ya Leta "Kikongo of the government", Leta being derived from French l'État "the State") that is used in the constitution and by the administration in the provinces of Bas-Congo (which is inhabited by the Bakongo), Kwango, and Kwilu.