Africa sees Mwalimu Nyerere’s legacy in Bongo Flava artistry

DAR ES SALAAM: FLYING high with countless mega hits, Bongo Flava quartet: Diamond Platnumz, Harmonize, Mbosso and Zuchu have spearheaded Tanzanian music’s victory in the global arena.

The quartet and many established artists such as Alikiba, Marioo, Jay Melody, Jux and Gospel music divas Martha Mwaipaja, Christina Shusho and Rose Muhando have firmly won the global audience.

In bold revelation, Bongo Flava has advanced after returning to its African roots, most notably Tanzanian traditional idioms as evidenced in many hits that enjoy a huge fanbase across the continent.

Bongo Flava artistry has completely shrugged off most of the key elements of the American Rnb which it relied upon during its infancy.

Mbosso, whose birth name is Mbwana Kilungi, is among the chief practitioners of the Bongo Flava music that rejuvenates and refines tradition and makes it enjoy a huge global market. “Huyu Hapa” is a vivid example.

It fuses popular Western Tanzanian folk beat with certain elements of the East African coastline. “Huyu Hapa” also features a call-and-response choral chant.

His fans in Tanzania and, as far away as the Caribbean and Latin world, support “Huyu Hapa” with heartfelt appreciation. From Haiti, @DONSILYO2GA commented: Love from Haiti, viva Africa, viva Haiti, while South African Bongiwe Shabalala said: I don’t understand the language; I’m Zulu from South Africa, but I love this song.”

From Gambia, Musa Kuyateh comments: My best star in Tanzania, I love you from the Gambia.” From Cameroon, Forchin Thierry calls the hit a Nigerian High Life style: “Highlife in Swahili. Where my Igbo people.

Much love from Cameroon.” From Eastern Congo where Manyema people originate, Alvine-Day added this: “Je pense que je suis le premier à visualiser cette vidéo. Je suis Alvine, de la République démocratique du Congo. Courage, mon artiste. Je suis un grand fan de toi. Hiyi ni kazi kubwa.

“Huyu Hapa” is a throwback to the 1970-80s era when Tabora Jazz, Dar International Orchestra and Kilimanjaro Sound (Wana Njenje) paraded the style in Tanzanian dance halls. It looks similar to “Gere”, which Nyota Waziri starred in with Kilimanjaro Sound.

Tabora Jazz, whose dance style is Segere Matata, as per Karenga himself, fused Nyamwezi’s Hiari ya Moyo dance and Kisonge style from Manyema folk music.

Similar beat and vocal style answering to “Huyu Hapa” version are Marijan Rajab’s “Usia wa Baba”, “Mtoto Unapotea” and Baba Anna; all three he recorded with Dar International Orchestra in the late 1970s.

“Sensema”, a Harmonize-Ray Vanny collaboration, also fits in this set-up as it fuses Bongo Flava idiom in Nyamwezi traditional songs. In it, you can hear influences of Nyakyusa and Makonde dances being supported by Nyamwezi footwork dance. Rayvanny sings “…Hakuna Mwaisa Mshamba…’ while Harmonize responds with… Hakuna Mmakonde Mshamba as they both shake their feet in a Nyamwezi style.

“Huyu Hapa” comes almost a decade after Mbosso and his Yamoto bandmates opted for the Lizombe beat in most of the hits recorded by their defunct Yamoto band. The most notable hits included “Niseme” and “Nitakupwelepweta”.

In retrospect, Harmonize, Diamond, Rayavanny and Mbosso preferred the Coastline-type of Segere dance and that can be heard in “Aiyola”, “Wacha Waoane”, “Happy Birthday” and “Nasema Nawe” being the most notable.

Marijan Rajab and his Dar International Orchestra are among the most sampled music legends today. His works have won many admirers in the Bongo Flava genre and he is dictating terms in both sampled and remastered works.

“Zuwena” by Mr Paul, “Siwema” by Lady J Dee and even the latest one, “Zuwena” by Diamond Platnumz, contain colours of Marijani Rajab’s influence.

Allegiance to the root anthem can also be seen in “Walewale” crafted by Zuchu and her Wasafi group.

ALSO READ: Enjoy “Mambo Bado” beat that Bongo Flava misses

The hit has been among the top trends for several weeks. With over 7 million viewers, “Walewale” is among the songs that try to shrug off allegiance to American-influenced syncopation, which, for many years, has been the pillar of the Bongo Flava genre.

In “Walewale”, Zuchu seems to have returned to Segere, a music genre that is most often written in the key of C Mixolydian, and that can be seen in a lowered 7th note (B♭).

Though the majority of big players of Bongo Flava success might not notice it, Bongo Flava should pay homage to the founding father of the nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, who created the bank that preserved traditional music, dances and its beats that today’s generation commercialised and polished into wealth-generating artistry Bongo Flava has become a world-class genre as Tanzania heads to mark Nyerere Day next week on October 14, 2026.

They have reached that far because of rare artistic innovation buoyed by their rich cultural heritage, masterminded by Mwalimu Nyerere. Mid-next week, Tanzania will celebrate Nyerere Day by honouring the legacy of the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, who shaped Tanzanian music and culture by using state support for the arts to build a unified national identity after the country’s independence.

During the dance music era (Muziki wa Dans), Mwalimu Nyerere’s government supported large institutional dance bands, creating the golden age of Swahili Jazz and dance music.

Cooperative Bands operated as cooperatives with salaried musicians, reducing reliance on commercial gatekeepers and fostering collective work.

Prominent state-backed or affiliated bands included Nuta Jazz Band, Mwenge Jazz, DDC Mlimani Park Orchestra, JKT Kimbunga, Kimulimuli, Bima Lee, Biashara Jazz, TOT, Magereza Jazz and Polis Jazz being the most popular.

In the 1970s and 80s, music served as a primary tool to promote Kiswahili literacy and national pride across more than 120 different ethnic groups. Nuta Jazz Band (now Msondo Ngoma is an early state-affiliated workers’ union band promoting unity.

DDC Mlimani Park Orchestra is a famous cooperative dance band known for distinct signature mitindo styles. He established Kiswahili as the national language in 1964, unifying a diverse population previously divided by tribalism.

He promoted traditional arts, sports and local pastimes like the board game (Bao) to reject colonial cultural imitation and build self-reliance.