Africa Is a Country

Songs for Chipolopolo

Songs for Chipolopolo

By
Charles Mafa

The Zambian journalist canvassed his friends for a playlist of top Zambian tunes praising their footballing heroes.

Zambian fans (Image: Andrew Codrington, via Flickr CC)

It’s death or glory today for defending champions Zambia, who must beat Burkina Faso to make it to the quarter-finals of the 2013 African Cup of Nations in South Africa. Anything less will be a significant disappointment. Just in case the Chipolopolo Boys, as the team is known, need a confidence booster ahead of the big match and remember what this all means to the fans back home, here’s our playlist of top Zambian tunes in praise of their heroes.

We start with “Vuvuzela” by Shimba Boyd, a captivating song urging the Zambian team to show them how to play the game. It is a popular hit in bars, taverns, nightclubs, and radio and television, especially when Zambia plays.

Next up is “Mad Chipolopolo,” a song by MADD featuring Rearn, thanking God for the beautiful colors of Zambia: orange (mineral wealth), green (vegetation), red (blood during independence), and black for the people.

Here’s MC Wabwino with “Chipololopolo” (a popular title for this). Mkunsha Chembe, the elephant of Zambian music, doesn’t want to be left out as he sings Chipolopolo. (It’s Chipolopolo if you want to dance!).

If your enthusiasm hasn’t been stoked, it will be when you’ve heard Leo Muntu with “Zambia Let’s Go.” It is a famous track in bars, on radios, and television. Top marks for dancing.

We’ll leave it with MC Wabwino to round things off. Here’s “Ona Kayako Chipolopolo,” another beauty from last year praising the dribbling skills of the Zambian players (listen for the name-checks).

  • This is the fourth in a series of national playlists for teams participating in the 2013 African Cup of Nations in South Africa.

Further Reading

Not exactly at arm’s length

Despite South Africa’s ban on arms exports to Israel and its condemnation of Israel’s actions in Palestine, local arms companies continue to send weapons to Israel’s allies and its major arms suppliers.

Ruto’s Kenya

Since June’s anti-finance bill protests, dozens of people remain unaccounted for—a stark reminder of the Kenyan state’s long history of abductions and assassinations.

Between Harlem and home

African postcolonial cinema serves as a mirror, revealing the limits of escape—whether through migration or personal defiance—and exposing the tensions between dreams and reality.

The real Rwanda

The world is slowly opening its eyes to how Paul Kagame’s regime abuses human rights, suppresses dissent, and exploits neighboring countries.

In the shadow of Mondlane

After a historic election and on the eve of celebrating fifty years of independence, Mozambicans need to ask whether the values, symbols, and institutions created to give shape to “national unity” are still legitimate today.

À sombra de Mondlane

Depois de uma eleição histórica e em vésperas de celebrar os 50 anos de independência, os moçambicanos precisam de perguntar se os valores, símbolos e instituições criados para dar forma à “unidade nacional” ainda são legítimos hoje.