ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the choice of a text to translate, to finding a sponsor, to the final reception of the text, translation can be pregnant with political considerations. The reception of some of these and other translated texts is also a good indication about the future of Swahili translations from English and other languages in East Africa. Translations of Russian texts printed within East Africa, on the other hand have continued to endure. Swahili translations of some literary texts have also demonstrated impressive demand, and some have even been used in Swahili literature classes in Kenya and Tanzania. The success of Swahili in Tanzania and Kenya lies partly in the fact that it has developed to become a preponderant language without being hegemonic. East Africa, the translation into Swahili of original works in English, French, and Arabic by African writers appeared to have a vibrant future. This undertaking was an offshoot of the African Writers Series of Heinemann Educational Books.
