Malawi National Anthem Composer Needs to Be Recognized Posthumously

For more than six decades, Malawians have proudly stood at attention as “Mulungu dalitsani Malawi” echoes across schools, stadiums, state functions, and international events. It is a song that unifies the nation, evokes patriotism, and anchors Malawi’s identity.

Yet the man behind this timeless national symbol—Michael Sauka—remains largely unrecognized, uncelebrated, and absent from the national honour he profoundly deserves.

Michael Fredrick Paul Sauka, born in 1924 in Neno District (then part of Blantyre District), was a gifted composer, choir conductor, and teacher who dedicated his life to music long before independence.

He wrote both the lyrics and melody of the national anthem in 1964 after the newly independent Malawi announced a competition for an anthem that would represent the values, aspirations, and hopes of the young nation.

Sauka’s composition won the contest, earning him a modest payment at the time—yet he received no long-term recognition, no national honour, and no formal acknowledgement equal to the significance of his work.

His life was marked by simplicity and deep artistic devotion. Sauka was trained in music at the Chikwawa and Blantyre Mission schools, and later honed his skills through church choirs and community ensembles.

He became known for his disciplined approach to musical arrangement and for mentoring young singers in the early post-independence years. Despite his talent, Sauka lived a humble life with limited financial opportunities.

He married and raised a family, yet his later years were overshadowed by poverty and declining health. He died in 1990, reportedly without ever receiving meaningful compensation or public honour for creating the anthem that continues to define the nation.

Today, his family still lives with the painful reality that their father’s extraordinary contribution to Malawi has gone largely unnoticed. While other nations celebrate their anthem composers as national heroes—placing their names in textbooks, naming streets after them, or engraving their images on currency—Malawi has yet to provide formal recognition to the man whose creation is sung daily by millions.

It is long overdue that Michael Sauka be honoured posthumously. His name deserves a place in Malawi’s history books, not as a footnote but as a national hero. A street, public institution, or monument should carry his name.

His story should be taught in schools as part of Malawi’s cultural heritage. Most importantly, Sauka’s portrait should appear on one of Malawi’s banknotes, just as many countries around the world memorialize their cultural icons.

The national anthem is not simply a song; it is a national identity, a national prayer, and a national commitment to unity and peace. It is time that Malawi properly acknowledges the man who gave the nation these words and this melody.

Honouring Michael Sauka is not merely about correcting a historical omission—it is about celebrating Malawian creativity, patriotism, and talent. After 60 years of singing his masterpiece, the country can no longer ignore the legacy of the man who composed its most important piece of music.