Zambia National Anthem

Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free

Written 1964

Adopted 1964

Lyrics Collective

Music Enoch Sontonga (melody adapted)

✝ God / Faith 🕊 Freedom 🤝 Unity ☮ Peace | Prayerful

Key Facts

1. The 1973 words came out of a national competition: no single entry was judged good enough, so six entries were merged, and their authors, G. Ellis, E.S. Musonda, J.M.S. Lichilana, I. Lowe, J. Sajiwandani and R.J. Seal, were awarded prizes.
2. Under the National Anthem Act, anyone who acts with intent to insult the anthem or bring it into contempt or ridicule commits an offence punishable by a fine, up to two years in prison, or both.
3. The tune is shared with other anthems: 'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika' is also the melody of Tanzania's anthem and part of South Africa's, and Zimbabwe used it until 1994.
4. In 2005 representatives of the Zambian women's movement asked for the anthem's male-gendered wording to be changed; it was left unchanged, on the grounds that when the anthem was adopted the masculine forms were meant to include women as well.

Zambia - Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free

Zambia National Anthem Lyrics

Stand and sing of Zambia, proud and free, Land of work and joy in unity, Victors in the struggle for the right, We've won freedom's fight. All one, strong and free. Africa is our own motherland, Fashion'd with and blessed by God's good hand, Let us all her people join as one, Brothers under the sun. All one, strong and free. One land and one nation is our cry, Dignity and peace 'neath Zambia's sky, Like our noble eagle in its flight, Zambia-praise to thee. All one, strong and free. Praise be to God, Praise be, praise be, praise be, Bless our great nation, Zambia, Zambia, Zambia, Free men we stand Under the flag of our land, Zambia-praise to thee. All one, strong and free.

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

Analysis

Editorial

At independence from Britain in 1964, when Northern Rhodesia became Zambia, the country adopted 'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika' by Enoch Sontonga as its national anthem, replacing 'God Save the Queen'. In 1973 Zambia kept the tune but gave it new words written specifically for Zambia, and the National Anthem Act of September 1973 declared the English text the national anthem. Versions also exist in Bemba, the most widely spoken local language, and in other Zambian languages.