Kitasa kikiwa kimeharibika, baba atamwita fundi.

kikiwa is the if/when form of kuwa (to be) agreeing with kitasa.

It breaks down like this:

• ki- = subject marker for the noun class of kitasa
• -ki- = if / when / while
• -wa = be

So kitasa kikiwa... means something like if/when the lock is...

Because kitasa belongs to the ki-/vi- noun class (Class 7 singular, Class 8 plural), and Swahili verbs must agree with the noun class of their subject.

So:

• kitasa = singular
• its subject agreement is ki-

That is why you get:

• kikiwa
• kimeharibika

If the noun were plural vitasa (locks), the agreement would change to vi-:

• Vitasa vikiwa vimeharibika...

They do two different jobs.

• kikiwa gives the dependent meaning if/when it is
• kimeharibika gives the actual state: broken / has become damaged

So together:

• kitasa kikiwa kimeharibika
• literally: the lock when/if it is broken
• natural English: if/when the lock is broken

This is a normal Swahili structure.

kimeharibika literally means it has become damaged/broken.

It breaks down as:

• ki- = subject marker for kitasa
• -me- = perfect tense/aspect
• haribika = become damaged / get spoiled / break down

In natural English, this often comes out simply as is broken, even though the Swahili form is closer to has broken / has become broken.

This is an important distinction:

• kuharibu = to damage / spoil something
  
  • transitive: someone damages something
• kuharibika = to be damaged / break / go bad
  
  • intransitive: the thing itself ends up damaged

So:

• Mtu ameharibu kitasa = Someone has damaged the lock
• Kitasa kimeharibika = The lock is broken / has become damaged

The -ika ending often gives this kind of become / be in that state meaning.

atamwita breaks down as:

• a- = he/she
• -ta- = future
• -mw- = object marker for a person/animate singular object
• -ita = call

So atamwita means he will call him/her.

Here the him/her refers to fundi, which comes after the verb.

Because in Swahili, especially with specific human or animate objects, it is very common to include an object marker on the verb.

So:

• atamwita fundi = he will call the repairman / technician

The -mw- points ahead to fundi.

In some contexts you may also hear ataita fundi, but atamwita fundi sounds very natural when the person being called is a specific human referent.

Because noun class in Swahili is not always obvious from the form of the noun itself.

baba behaves like a singular human noun, so it takes Class 1 agreement:

• subject marker: a-
• object marker for a person: m-/mw-

So:

• baba atamwita fundi = father will call the repairman

Even though baba has no visible m- prefix, its agreement is still the normal human singular agreement.

It can mean any of those, depending on context.

The -ki- form often covers ideas like:

• if
• when
• while

So kitasa kikiwa kimeharibika could be understood as:

• if the lock is broken
• when the lock is broken

In this sentence, English usually chooses if or when depending on the situation the speaker has in mind.

fundi is a broad word meaning a skilled worker, craftsman, technician, or repair person.

In this sentence, since the problem is with a kitasa (lock/latch), fundi would most naturally mean:

• a repairman
• a technician
• possibly a locksmith, depending on context

So the exact English word depends on the situation.

Yes. The first part is a dependent clause, so Swahili can move it around.

The original order:

• Kitasa kikiwa kimeharibika, baba atamwita fundi.

This is very natural and means:

• If/when the lock is broken, father will call a repairman.

You could also place the main clause first, but the original version is a very normal way to present the condition first, just like English often does with If... , ...

Because the two parts describe different times/aspects.

• kimeharibika describes the state that has already happened or is already true: the lock has become broken / is broken
• atamwita describes what will happen after that: father will call

So the logic is:

1. the lock is broken
2. then father will call a repairman

That is why the subordinate clause uses a perfect/result-state form, while the main clause uses the future.