Which Bob Marley song was written for Zimbabwe's independence?

The story behind the answer

The Bob Marley song written for Zimbabwe's independence was “Zimbabwe.”

Marley wrote the song in support of the liberation struggle in what was then Rhodesia. Its lyrics present independence as a collective African cause and call on listeners to recognize the people fighting against colonial rule and minority government.

The track appeared on Survival, released in 1979, one of Marley's most explicitly political albums. It was not merely a song about Africa in general: its title and subject directly identify Zimbabwe's struggle for self-rule. The country formally became independent on 18 April 1980.

Bob Marley and the Wailers were invited to perform at Zimbabwe's independence celebrations in Harare. They played “Zimbabwe” at Rufaro Stadium, giving the song an especially powerful connection to the birth of the new nation. “Africa Unite” is broader pan-African commentary, while “War” draws on a speech by Haile Selassie; neither is the specific independence song named in the question.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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