Tanzania National Anthem

Mungu ibariki Afrika

God Bless Africa

Written 1961

Adopted 1961

Lyrics Collective

Music Enoch Sontonga (melody)

✝ God / Faith 🤝 Unity ☮ Peace 🕊 Freedom ❤ Love of homeland | Prayerful

Key Facts

1. The whole text is a prayer: it asks God to bless Africa and its leaders, then Tanzania and its people, and never mentions war or enemies. Tanzania's National Examinations Council describes the anthem as a prayer for the nation and for Africa as a whole.
2. Tanganyika was the first African country to adopt 'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika' as its national anthem, in 1961. The hymn is now also part of South Africa's anthem and is used, with different words, by Zambia.
3. The anthem outlived the country that adopted it: Tanganyika chose it in 1961, and after the 1964 union with Zanzibar the new Tanzania kept it, with 'Tanzania' now sung where the words once named Tanganyika.

Tanzania National Anthem Lyrics

Mungu ibariki Afrika Wabariki viongozi wake Hekima, umoja na amani Hizi ni ngao zetu Afrika na watu wake. Ibariki Afrika Ibariki Afrika Tubariki watoto wa Afrika. Mungu ibariki Tanzania Dumisha uhuru na umoja Wake kwa waume na watoto Mungu ibariki Tanzania na watu wake. Ibariki Tanzania Ibariki Tanzania Tubariki watoto wa Tanzania.

Translations are non-official and intended to convey meaning, not replace originals

Analysis

Editorial

Tanzania's anthem shares its melody with South Africa's 'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika,' both derived from Enoch Sontonga's 1897 hymn. The Swahili lyrics were adopted at independence in 1961. Tanzania itself was formed by the 1964 union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar.