Tanzania’s publishing sector is grappling with a troubling paradox: English-language books continue to outsell Swahili titles despite the country’s rich literary heritage.

Speaking at the 32nd National Book Festival in Dar es Salaam, Hermes Damian, CEO of a leading publishing house and chairman of the Publishers Association of Tanzania, highlighted how parental disengagement has eroded decades of progress in building a robust reading culture.

The first quarter-century after independence saw Tanzania produce extraordinary volumes of Swahili literature, including numerous plays and translations by Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.

Writers such as Kezilahabi deliberately chose Swahili over English – sacrificing potential continental acclaim – to strengthen local literature. This patriotic decision established foundations that made reading “stylish, prestigious, and a mark of intelligence,” Damian noted.

Market Imbalance and Industry Concerns

Today, that momentum has dissipated. While millions of Tanzanians read, foreign titles from America and Europe consistently outsell locally-authored books. Damian questioned why this imbalance persists when book labs – community reading spaces run by government or private operators – remain available nationwide as “essential resources” for nurturing literacy.

The problem extends beyond sales figures. Unlike nations with clear national book policies, Tanzania lacks coordinated campaigns promoting reading.

“We have countless billboards, yet rarely see campaigns promoting books,” Damian observed, calling this a missed opportunity for industry growth.

A Call for Collaborative Action

Publishing professionals face a dual mandate: reigniting domestic appetite for Swahili literature while competing with well-marketed foreign imports. Damian emphasised that change requires government support and citizen participation, beginning with parental encouragement.

The sector’s future depends on transforming passive readers into active consumers of local content. With the 32nd International Book Reading Exhibition running 21–26 November at the National Library in Dar es Salaam, in parallel with the Tanzania International Book Fair, industry stakeholders have a timely platform to address these challenges collaboratively.

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This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.