The national anthems of Tanzania, Zambia, and South Africa share similarities because they are all based on the hymn “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” (“God Bless Africa”), composed by South African Enoch Sontonga in 1897. This hymn became a symbol of African unity and liberation, widely adopted by various African liberation movements across the continent.
Tanzania: The Swahili version of “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” was adopted as the national anthem after the country gained independence from British colonial rule in 1961. It is known as “Mungu ibariki Afrika” in Tanzania.
Zambia: Upon gaining independence from British rule in 1964, Zambia also adopted a version of “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” as its national anthem, titled “Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free”.
South Africa: The song has a long history as a resistance anthem during the apartheid era. Post-apartheid, it was incorporated into the new national anthem, which combines elements of “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” with the previous anthem “Die Stem van Suid-Afrika”.
