In 1971, two brothers from the coastal region of Tanga, Tanzania, Wilson and George Kinyonga formed a band they would call Simba Wanyika, a Swahili for Savannah Lions. Due to unsteady economic conditions in [Tanzania] in the 70s which strained the music industry, most of the artists of that time migrated to Kenya and other neighbouring countries in search of greener environments. It's no wonder that some of these artists became citizens of those countries. During that time, travelling between the two countries was made easy by the East African community, a tripartite agreement of understanding among Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. After the collapse of the community in 1977, border crossings were made difficult, hence the eventual establishment of permanent base in Kenya by the group. With its development and growth, the band created several offshoots, but most notable was/is Les Wanyika. It's one thing for an artist to migrate in search of career betterment and quite another when a country falsely claims ownership of certain artists who belongs to another country for the sole purpose of looking good and seeking prominence. The so can be said of the song Malaika which originated in Tanzania, cartoonist Geofrey "Gado" Mwampembwa who is a Tanzanian working for the Nation Newspaper in Kenya and the overall location of the mount Kilimanjaro. The Kenyans have been very good on this profession. With Les Wanyika, new members of the group included both Tanzanians and Kenyans. The famous John Ngereza, Issa Juma and Omar Shabani were all from Tanzania, and one Tom Malanga was from Kenya. This band established a permanent base in Nairobi, playing in nightclubs and on various resorts. Most of the group members have either died or fallen victims of age toll.
In 2006, the group was reformed with a new line up
Haki Zetu
Les Wanyika Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mengine yahuzunisha, hata waweza kulia,
Hasa kwetu si viumbe, tusiokuwa na uwezo,
Kuyamudu maisha yetu, nawaeleza tuna taabu,
Kutetea haki zetu, bila uwezo ni vigumu.
Wengine hutumia, uwezo wao kutunyanyasa,
Na uwezo walio nao, unatokana na juhudi zetu,
Matokeo ni kunyanyaswa, na haki zetu kupotea,
Mungu baba tusaidie, viumbe vyako tuna taabu.
The lyrics to Les Wanyika's song "Haki Zetu" address the struggles and injustices faced by individuals in the world. The song highlights the fact that this world is filled with many challenging situations, some of which are sorrowful enough to bring tears to one's eyes. The lyrics emphasize the disparity between those who have power and those who do not, with the powerless expressing their difficulties in being able to afford their basic needs and take care of their lives. The song laments the hardships faced in defending their rights without the necessary resources or abilities.
The lyrics also point out that some individuals use their power to oppress and exploit others, while their power is ultimately derived from the efforts and hard work of those they oppress. The song describes the daily struggle of working tirelessly to provide for oneself, only to be subjected to mistreatment and have their rights trampled upon. The lyrics express a plea to a higher power, asking for divine intervention and assistance, as the creatures of God are experiencing these difficulties and challenges.
Overall, "Haki Zetu" is a song that sheds light on the plight of the powerless, the injustices they face, and their struggle to assert their rights and find a better life.
Line by Line Meaning
Dunia dunia hii, imejawa na mengi mambo,
This world, oh this world, is filled with so many things,
Mengine yahuzunisha, hata waweza kulia,
Some things are saddening, enough to make you cry,
Hasa kwetu si viumbe, tusiokuwa na uwezo,
Especially for us who are beings without power,
Kuyamudu maisha yetu, nawaeleza tuna taabu,
To afford our lives, I tell you we struggle,
Kutetea haki zetu, bila uwezo ni vigumu.
To defend our rights, without power it's difficult.
Wengine hutumia, uwezo wao kutunyanyasa,
Others use their power to oppress us,
Na uwezo walio nao, unatokana na juhudi zetu,
And the power they possess comes from our efforts,
Twafanya kazi mchana kutwa, riziki zetu kutafuta,
We work day and night to seek our livelihood,
Matokeo ni kunyanyaswa, na haki zetu kupotea,
The result is being mistreated, and our rights disappearing,
Mungu baba tusaidie, viumbe vyako tuna taabu.
God, our Father, help us, your creatures, are in distress.
Writer(s): John Ngereza, Issa Juma, Omar Shabani
Contributed by Logan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@tomingosi4598
The Naked truth 👍 🙏🤞👋 Les wanyika Hoye
@marleygrafix7381
Venye tunanyanyazwa na Kenya Kwanza 😭😭
@TamashaRecords
Karibu katika nyumbani kwa zilizopendwa music. Tamasha Records yakuletea muziki kutoka kwa wasanii wetu waliochangia katika historia ya jamii zetu. Jiunge nasi .
Pia unaweza kupata huu wimbo kama Skiza Tune yako, SMS "Skiza 7990044" kwa 811.
@marleygrafix7381
Asante hii Skiza lazima ni weke, hii wimbo inaendeshana na Maisha yenye tunaishi kwa sasa.
@jameskanea970
Our current situation aki yaoh
@cyrusobwocha8569
great work. old but applicable in our current age and through generations
@TamashaRecords
Hey Cyrus,
Thank you for the love. Music as a work of art reflects on what is going on in the society. Listen to this and more music on YouTube, simply subscribe to this channel; bit.ly/ChezaTamasha
You can get this song as your Skiza Tune, simply SMS "Skiza 7990044" to 811.
Rememeber to share with Family and friends.
@CKTugatt
One of my favourite piece after Esther..... Will activate Skiza on it....
@wanjohipaul9371
I think this was one of the last of Wanyika before the final nail in 2000 when John Ngereza died.RIP legends forever in our memories!
@TamashaRecords
These are legends and this music are still relevant to date. You can get this song as your Skiza Tune, SMS "Skiza 7990044" to 811.
Remember to subscribe to thisb channel.