Hmmm. According to this grammar book (Complete Swahili), 1. Ninakisoma. = I read it. (ki being the pronoun "it" for a noun like kitabu), 2. Ninasoma kitabu. = I read A book., and 3. Ninakisoma kitabu. = I read THE book. So the book says if you use "ki" along with a noun, then the sentence means "the + noun" (the book), instead of "a + noun" (a book). I agree that it looks redundant but that's what the claims the nuance is. Anyhow, that's why I included it. :) Let me know what your friends think though, please. I will repeat this in email in case it doesn't show in your notifications. :)