Lyrics
Oiyee oiyee nalia nalia mimi mzazi
Mimi ni mama, mimi ni mama
Mimi ni mama, nalilia watoto wangu
Mimi ni mama, mimi ni mama
Mimi ni mama, najutia kosa langu
Mimi ni mama kwa wote wenye mwili
Mimi ni mama kwa wakubwa kwa wadogo
Mimi ni eva mimi ni awa
Naomboleza najutia kosa langu
Baba yangu Mungu niangalie leo
Nimekuja kwako kwa huzuni nyingi
Ni kweli baba uliniamini mimi
Ukanipa dunia niwe mama wa wote
Nilikosea sana nilipokula tunda
Ulionikataza ninajuta leo
Matokeo ya dhambi niliyoifanya
inatesa watoto wangu niliyowazaa
Mimi ni mama, mimi ni mama
Mimi ni mama, nalilia watoto wangu
Mimi ni mama, mimi ni mama
Mimi ni mama, najutia kosa langu
Waliotoka tumboni mwangu
tazama sasa baba hawaelewani
Caini huyu anamuua Abeli
Watoto wangu wanamalizana
Mbio za shilingi zamaliza watoto wangu
Wengine kwa risasi wengine kwa mabomu
Wengine wako magerezani
Baba Mungu okoa watoto wetu
Wengine wafaa mahosipitalini,
Hawana shilingi ya kununua kidonge.
Tazama wengine wako uchochoroni,
Hawaendi shule wanacheza gemu.
Mimi ni mama, mimi ni mama,
Mimi ni mama, nalilia watoto wangu.
Mimi ni mama, mimi ni mama,
Mimi ni mama, najutia kosa langu.
Uchungu waniuma nikiwaona watoto
Wanavyoteseka katika dunia hii
Nalilia binti zangu waja wazito
Wamejaa makovu katika tumbo yao
Mara pressure mara kifafa
wapoteza maisha katika uzazi
Neno lako lasema tutazaa kwa uchungu
Operesheni hizi zinatoka wapi
Kina mama wote njoni tuomboleze
Tuwalilie watoto wetu wasiangamie
Tuombee ndoa tuombe amani
Ya nchi yetu isije toweka
Neno linasema waiteni wanawake
Waliostadi kwa kuomboleza
Wawefundisha mabinti zao kuomboleza
Machozi yao yabubujike
Kwa maana mauti imepandia dirishani
Ipate kukatilia mbali watoto wetu
Bwana wangu Yesu wewe ulisema
Enye kina mama msinililie mimi
Bali jililieni nafsi zenu na watoto wenyu
Mimi ni mama, mimi ni mama,
Mimi ni mama, nalilia watoto wangu.
Mimi ni mama, mimi ni mama,
Mimi ni mama, najutia kosa langu.
Mimi ni baba, mimi ni baba
Mimi ni baba, najutia watoto wangu.
Mimi ni baba, mimi ni baba
Mimi ni baba, naombea watoto wangu.
Naombea nchi yangu Tanzania
Naombea kizazi chetu ooh Yesu Africa
Ombea Dunia yote
Mimi ni mama, mimi ni mama,
Mimi ni mama, nalilia watoto wangu.
Mimi ni mama, mimi ni mama,
Mimi ni mama, najutia kosa langu.
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
“Mimi ni Mama” gives voice to a mother’s lament over sin, violence, poverty, illness, and broken relationships. The singer speaks as Eve, grieving the consequences associated with the first disobedience and watching later generations repeat patterns of harm. Cain’s killing of Abel becomes one image within a wider sorrow that includes war, imprisonment, neglected children, dangerous childbirth, and families unable to afford care. The confession of wrongdoing keeps the lament from becoming an accusation against God.
The song then turns grief into intercession. Mothers are called to mourn for their children, pray for marriages, and seek peace for Tanzania, Africa, and the world. Its language closely echoes Jeremiah’s summons for mourning women and Jesus’ words to the daughters of Jerusalem about weeping for themselves and their children. The final prayers from both mother and father widen the responsibility beyond one person. Sorrow remains central, yet the appeal to Jesus frames communal repentance and prayer as responses to a wounded generation.
Related Scripture
- Genesis 4:8 Cain kills his brother Abel, as the lyrics recount.
- Jeremiah 9:17-21 Jeremiah summons mourning women as death enters homes and cuts down children.
- Luke 23:28 Jesus tells the women of Jerusalem to weep for themselves and their children.