HOW TO WRITE A SONG BY JOHN SHABANI

• 10 SONGWRITTING TIPS

Writing a song with unforgettable melodies and creative lyrics can be challenging. Even the most experienced songwriters go through writer's block at some point in their career, and there are many different approaches to songwriting. Here are 10 helpful songwriting tips, each backed up by quotes from some of the world's most successful songwriters.

FIND OUT HOW TO WRITE A SONG 

1. WHERE TO START WRITING YOUR SONG

Getting started is often the hardest part of the songwriting process. Developing your song’s main melody or central chorus is considered by some to be the best place to begin writing your next track. Once you’ve got your hook or key chord progression, you can build the rest of your song around it. But don’t worry if you're struggling to find the perfect melody straight away, this method isn’t for everyone.

Starting with your song’s main riff or hook isn’t ideal for every songwriter. Some songwriters prefer to start at the beginning of their track by writing a killer intro, which will lead them naturally into the rest of the song, while others will get the lyrics down first, and then worry about the tune afterwards. There’s no rule when it comes to writing a new song. It’s down to the songwriter, the song and the original inspiration to determine your starting point.

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“I have a structured songwriting process. I start with the music and try to come up with musical ideas, then the melody, then the hook, and the lyrics come last. Some people start with the lyrics first because they know what they want to talk about and they just write a whole bunch of lyrical ideas, but for me, the music tells me what to talk about.”
John Legend

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2. LYRICS MATTER

Unless you're producing instrumental music, the lyrics are arguably the most important part of your song. Lyric writing can often be the most frustrating and difficult aspect of the songwriting process, especially for amateur songwriter's lacking in experience. 

Having a clear idea of what your song will be about is a good start. You could write down exactly what you want to get across in your lyrics, then play about with the rhythm, structure and cadence of your words to fit them around your melody. A solid lyrical hook for your chorus is particularly important, while the verses and bridge can be built around your central theme.

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"I deliberate over the lyrics; I really do. I'll come up with one line in a day, and then it might be a couple of days before I come up with the rhyming line." 

Rod Stewart

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3. RECORD ANY SPUR OF THE MOMENT INSPIRATION

There’s nothing worse as a songwriter than coming up with an amazing melody or riff, only to completely forget what is was an hour later. Forgetting your ideas can be really frustrating, so it’s important to make a note of your idea while it’s fresh in your mind, even if it’s just recorded quickly on your phone or scribbled on a scrap of paper. You’ll be glad of the reminder later when you return to continue working on the song.

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"You can't manufacture inspiration, so a lot of it is still a waiting game for me. There's still a lot of mystery to songwriting. I don't have a method that I can go back to - they either come or they don't."
Conor Oberst

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4. WRITE FROM EXPERIENCE

As obvious as it may sound, some of history’s greatest songs are about personal experiences, with artists drawing on real-life events and traumas to spark their creativity. Whether you’ve been through hard times or great times, you can use your life experiences to great affect. Put those feelings into a song you can be proud of.

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“My experience with song writing is usually so confessional, it’s so drawn from my own life and my own stories.”
Taylor Swift

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5. COLLABORATE WITH OTHER MUSICIANS

If you’re suffering from writer’s block (everyone does at some point!), then collaborating with other musicians can offer a great way to break new ground and get a fresh perspective on your track. Show them what you’ve got so far, discuss any new ideas they might suggest, and see what comes out of it. Getting an outside persceptive on your track from a fellow musician can help to bring the best out of your music. Two heads are always usually better than one.

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"I like collaboration because, first of all, I'm good at writing lyrics. I don't know how to make beats. I don't play instruments. I'm not a good singer. So even when you see a solo album of mine, it's still a collaboration."
Talib Kweli 

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6. KEEP IT SIMPLE AND BUILD ON IT

Keeping your track as simple as possible at first is an excellent way to accelerate the songwriting process and work out the structure of your song. Many complex songs from 5 or 6-piece bands started life as a few chords strummed on an acoustic guitar. Once you’ve the basis of the song in its simplest form, you can go about adding drums, strings, brass or any other additional elements afterwards. Don’t make things harder for yourself by overcomplicating your track right from the beginning.

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“The combination of three chords and the right lyrical couplet can be as heavy as anything in the Metallica catalogue.”
Tom Morello, Rage Against the Machine

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7. MAKE SURE TO TAKE BREAKS

Writing a song from scratch can sometimes be frustrating and mentally tiring work, especially if the ideas aren’t flowing as easily as you’d like. Often a 15-minute break away from your instrument or lyrics pad can help get the creativity flowing and stop your mind from becoming too clouded to see the ideas and inspiration you’re searching for. Whether it's written in two hours or two months, the final product is all that's important, no matter how long it takes.

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“I wish I were one of those people who wrote songs quickly. But I’m not. So it takes me a great deal of time to find out what the song is”
Leonard Cohen

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8. DON'T OVERTHINK IT

Musicians and songwriters are often our own worst critics. If you judge your own songs too harshly you’ll never get anything done, so it’s important to keep an open mind, and while it’s great to take your time and carefully consider each facet of a new song, it’s often easier to get things done when you let the songwriting process flow, stop worrying and just get on with it. Overthinking can be your worst enemy. Get the basis of your song down, and you can always go back and change things afterwards.

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“If anyone asks me about songwriting, I guess I’d say that you just gotta do it.”
Alex Turner, Arctic Monkeys

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9. ASK FOR FEEDBACK

It’s easy to lose sight of how good or bad your song is after you’ve spent hours and hours working, changing and creating it by yourself. So find someone you trust to give honest advice, and who’s opinion you value, and ask them to critique it for you. You might find they have some fantastic insight into how it could be improved. Don’t just play it for someone who might be afraid to hurt your feelings - you want honest opinions, not just yes men.

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"I enjoy the collaboration. I always envied people in bands who got to have that interaction. It's a nice change helping other people with their music and not being all about what I'm trying to do myself."
Beck

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10. DON'T BE AFRAID TO FAIL

Apologies for the cliché, but if you’re failing and struggling to write the song you know is in you – just keep going. There’s no secret formula for successful songwriting, other than the combination of hard work, positivity and talent. This quote from the legendary Johnny Cash sums up the point perfectly.

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“You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don't try to forget the mistakes, but you don't dwell on it. You don't let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space.”
Johnny Cash

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How do you handle the songwriting process? Have any great tips to share on how to write a song? Let us know in the comments, or share this article with your friends if you found any of the advice here helpful.

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UANDISHI WA NYIMBO ZA INJILI UNAENDANA SANA NA WITO WA HUDUMA YA MWANDISHI AU MTUNZI.

#Ushauri kwa mtunzi au mwandishi wa nyimbo za Injili.

Usitumie nguvu kubwa kutaka

Kuandika Nyimbo zitakayozependwa au kukubaliwa sana maarufu kama HIT SONGS.

Andika tu nyimbo kwa kadri ya msukumo utokao ndani yako. Imba Uimbaji wako, Tumia sauti yenye upekee na si ya kuigilizia. Fanya mziki wako ambao unaupenda kutoka moyoni.

Kuwa halisi na mkweli kwa Nafsi yako (hisia, dhamira safi, shauku, ufahamu).

#Mashairi au Lyrics huja kutokana na kiwango ufahamu wa Neno la Mungu, Kiwango cha Imani, kiwango cha Ushuhuda na Uvuvio wa Roho.

#Injili ikimgusa hata mtu mmoja ujue tayari imeshafanya kazi yake.

Nyimbo kukubaliwa au kupendwa sana si maamuzi ya mtunzi au mwandishi hata kama yeye binafsi ameupenda au amefurahishwa sana na wimbo huo bado sio tafsiri kwamba watu wataupenda kwa kiwango hicho hicho...

Kuna wakati watu wanaweza penda wimbo ambao mtunzi hakuutiliana maanani sana au matarajio makubwa (hiyo nahitaga surprise).

Wimbo kuwa maarufu kuna maswala mengi huchangia ikiwemo na promotion (kuutangaza sana).

Ila wimbo kuishi muda mrefu utatokana na kitu ambacho huo wimbo umebeba. Kiasi gani watu wanaupokea na kuguswa mioyo au kubarikiwa na wimbo husika. Ile Impact ambayo wimbo umesababisha ndio husababisha nyimbo ziishi muda mrefu sana zikipendwa bila kuchuja.

Ujumbe wake na maudhui yake vina nafasi kubwa.

Kiuhalisia ni kwamba nyimbo za Injili hazipaswi kuchuja au kupitwa na wakati kwa kuwa ni Injili Kamili na Ni Neno la Mungu.

Hivyo nyimbo za Injili zinatakiwa zishibe Neno la Mungu. Zimtukuze Mungu na Kumtangaza Yesu Kristo.

Usiache pia kufuatilia masomo wangu ya Sauti na kuyazingtia. Kumbuka una kuimba kupitia kiapaji (talent), kwa kupata ujuzi (skill) na kuimba kwa uptake au kupakwa (anointing). Sasa mwimbaji wa kipaji au ujuzi anaweza akawafurahisha watu, akagusa watu lakini asiguse mbingu kwani wengi wanachofanya ni kutoa burudani lakini maisha yao ni machafu. Usishanga mtu katoka kujirusha guest house au kapigilia bia yake au kilevi chochote akita na mzuka huo akapewa nafasi kwasababu ya kujulikana kwake akaimba au kutuongoza katika  uimbaji uliojaa uzinzi na ulevi.

Lakini uimbaji uliopakwa na Mungu mwenyewe umejaa hofu, neema, uponyaji, kicho na Kibali cha mbingu.

Pamoja na upako bado nashauri waimbaji kupata ujuzi kwa watu sahihi wenye uzoefu au waalimu wa sauti, ni muhimu sana

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WIMBO NI NINI?

Wimbo ni aina ya sanaa katika Fasihi ambayo hutumia lugha teule,sauti na kiimbo maalum. Nyimbo nyingi hugawanywa katika beti(verse) na kiitikio(chorus),pia zipo zenye kuwa na daraja/kiunganishi(bridge) na kiopoo/ndoano(hook). Pia nyimbo hutumia Ala za muziki kama vile ngoma,filimbi, gitaa na kinanda.

Ikumbukwe kuwa nyimbo zinaweza kuimbwa na mtu mmoja au zaidi.

SIFA ZA NYIMBO

1. Hutumia kiimbo au sauti maalum.

2. Huweza kuendana na Ala za muziki.

3. Huimbwa na mtu au watu kwa pamoja au kwa kupokezana.

4. Hutumia lugha ya mkato.

5. Hurudiarudia maneno ili kusisitiza ujumbe katika wimbo.

UMUHIMU WA NYIMBO

1. KUBURUDISHA.

2. KUELIMISHA, KUFUNZA, KUONYA NA KUELEKEZA, KULIWAZA, KUSIFIA KITU AU MTU KATIKA JAMII, KUUNGANISHA JAMII AU WATU TOFAUTI, KUDUMISHA/KUHIFADHI TAMADUNI ZA JAMII, KUKUZA TALANTA NA SANAA KATIKA JAMII, HUTUMIKA KATIKA MBINU ZINGINE ZA FASIHI KAMA VILE HADITHI MWISHO NYIMBO HUTUMIKA ILI KUMTUKUZA MUNGU MUUMBAJI.

Kabla sijaanza kutoa dondoo na maelezo ya namna au jinsi ya kuandika wimbo/uandishi,ni bora ukapata kujua baadhi ya mambo kuhusu nyimbo zenyewe na muziki kwa ujumla.

SONG STRUCTURE/MUUNDO WA WIMBO.

Ifahamike kwamba miundo ya nyimbo ipo mingi ikitegemea matakwa ya msanii au waandaaji wa wimbo husika.

MUUNDO WA NYIMBO ni mpangilio wa viunda wimbo katika mfutatano wa kujirudia. Hapa naongelea

1. ITRODUCTION/ITRO/MWANZO/UTAMBULISHO/UINGIAJI

2. KIITIKIO/CHORUS

3.VERSES/BETI

4.UTOKAJI/OUTRO/UMALIZIAJI/ENDING.

Viunda wimbo hivi hupangiliwa kulingana msanii anataka wimbo wake upangiliwe vipi. Ifuatayo ni mipangilio miwili pendwa na bora kutumiwa,ambayo ni;

1. Intro-chorus-verse-chorus-verse- chorus-outro.

2. Intro-verse-chorus-verse-chorus-verse-chorus-outro.

INTRO NA OUTRO.

Intro ni mwanzo wa wimbo, ni sehemu fupi ya mwanzo wa wimbo ambayo mara nyingi huwa na mistari minne tu. Mara nyingi hakuna vionjo Vingi vya midundo ni sehemu iliyo poa. Hapa ni sehemu utaaamua wimbo wako uanze vipi.

Outro ni sehemu ya mwisho ya wimbo au mwisho ambapo pia utaamua wimbo wako uishie vipi,mara nyingi ni baada ya kiitikio/chorus kurudiwa kwa mara ya mwisho au baada tu ya ubeti/verse ya mwisho inategemea na maamuzi yako msanii.

VERSES/BETI

Hiki ni kifungu kimoja cha shairi ambacho kina uzani sawa kutokana mpangilio wa vina vyako. Unaweza kuwa na verse yenye mashairi ya kimapokeo/yanayofata sheria za uandishi au verse yenye mashairi huru/ya kisasa/yasiyofuata sheria ili mradi yalete maana.

Hii ni sehemu ambayo stori yote ya wimbo huelezewa ni hapa ambapo unatakiwa kudadavua kinagaubaga ujumbe wako ukiendana na chorus/kiitikio chako pamoja na jina la wimbo wako maana ndio hubeba taswira ya beti/verse zako.

Mistari 16(sixteen bars) hutengeneza verse moja katika nyimbo mbalimbali ila sana za HIPHOP. Unaweza kuwa na verse ya misatari 8(8/eight bars), 12 adi 32,48,40/fourty bars.

Nakushauri andika mistari 16. Na mistari 8 unapoona inatosheleza mahitaji yako.

Wakati ujao tukijaaliwa nitafundisha jinsi ya kuhesabu mistari kulingana na midundo/beats,vina(vya mwanzo,vya kati,vya mwisho),pamoja na chorus/kiitikio.

By Vocal Coacher John Shabani

Anaehitaji huduma hii ya kuandikiwa nyimbo,

mawasiliano yapo apo juu.

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UANDISHI AU UTUNZI WA NYIMBO (SONG WRITING/COMPOSITION)

Ebu tuangalie misingi ya utunzi wa nyimbo

JE UNAWAJUA WATU MUHIMU KWENYE KWAYA, BENDI AU KWA MWIMBAJI BINAFSI?

Ili wimbo uweze kukamilika huwa unakuwa na vipengele kadhaa ndani yake.

-       Kuna maneno au mashahiri, au kwa lugha ya siku hizi ‘mistari’ na kwa kiingereza Lyrics.

Nyimbo inaweza kuandikwa na mtu mmoja au wawili au Zaidi, tunawaita kwa kimombo Song writers. Mwandishi wa nyimbo anayeweka maneno ya wimbo (lyrics) eitha kwa kwa maneno ya kawaida au kwa nota huitwa Lyricict

-       Mistari huhitaji kupewa sauti ya kuimbia, Melody. Na huyo anayebuni au kutengeneza melody huitwa Composer. Lakini kama mtu atatengeneza vyote nilivyotaja hapo juu, kwa ufupi anatambulika kama mwandishi wa nyimbo (songwriter)

-       Baada ya hapo hutengenezwa arrangement, au mpangilio wa muziki huo, nini kinakuja wapi, waimbaji waimbe vipi na kujumlisha kazi zote hizi unapata wimbo mmoja.

Kwa uzoefu wa bendi au kwaya zetu, mara nyingi, Lyrics huletwa na mtu mmoja, anaweza akaleta mistari yenye melody au akaleta mistari peke yake na kutaka msaada wa wanamuziki wenzie watafute melody. Kazi inafuata ya arrangement pia hufanywa kwa ushirikiano na hatimae kukapatikana wimbo ambao kwa utamaduni wetu huwa tunatangaza kuwa mtunzi ni yule aliyekuja na mistari.

Si kila mtu ana kipaji cha kutunga, japo hiyo ndio imani ya wengi kuwa kila anaejua kuimba hujua kutunga. Waimbaji wengi maarufu duniani waliimba nyimbo zilizotungwa na wengine, na halikadhalika si kila anaetunga anajua kuimba, watunzi hata wa mashahiri huwaachia watu wengine waghani mashahiri yao, mtunzi akilazimisha kuimba wakati hana kipaji hicho matokeo ni madudu tu na hali kadhalika muimbaji asiye na kipaji cha kutunga aking’ang’ania kutunga kipawa chake cha kuimba kinaweza kisionekane kutokana na utunzi kuwa hafifu.

Na hali kadhalika si kila mtu ni arranger, tatizo ni pale asiekuwa na kipaji anaamua kufanya hiyo kazi, kinachotoka hakieleweki kama kinakwenda au kinarudi. Hali hii ipo pia kwa waimbaji binafsi(solo artist), wanataka kujionyesha wanajua kila kitu au wanafanya kila kitu, haiwezekani. Kuna wakati unahitaji aina fulani za tungo kutuko kwa  watunzi wazuri, una hitaji mwalimu au mtu wa kukuongoza kuwa bora zaidi, lakini pia zaidi ya hilo, unamwitaji arranger. Kama wewe umebahatika kufanya kila kitu basi mshukuru Mungu kwa hilo.
Kama nilivyosema awali katika bendi arrangement huwa ni mchango wa mawazo, lakini ukifanya utafiti kidogo utagundua hata katika kazi inayoonekana ya kikundi kuna mtu au watu ndio wanaoongoza nini kipigwe wapi. Nichukulie mfano wa bendi zilizopita, katika kutaka kujua undani wa jambo hili, nilipata maelezo ya kina kutoka kwa mkongwe wa muziki wa dansi hapa nchini, ndugu yetu John Kitime. Yeye anasema “Katika bendi nilizopitia kama vile Orchestra Mambo Bado, Orchestra Makassy au Vijana Jazz enzi hizo kulikuwa na mtu ana sauti ya mwisho kuhusu arrangement”
Kupendwa kwa wimbo ni mkusanyiko wa haya niliyoyataja hapo juu. Nyimbo nyingi zinazopendwa sasa hazitachukua muda kusahaulika kutokana na kuwa na arrangement hafifu sana. Mfumo wa sasa wa waimbaji kujaza wimbo wote bila kuweko na hata nafasi ya vyombo kutamba ni aina moja ya arrangement, lakini kwa mtazamo wangu nyimbo hizi zitasahaulika katika kipindi kifupi.
Katika mfumo wa uajiri au utafutaji wa wanamuziki katika vikundi vyetu, umuhimu hutolewa kwa wapiga vyombo na waimbaji, nadra kusikia mtunzi anatafutwa na nadra zaidi kusikia anatafutwa arranger, hivyo huwa bahati tu akatokea arranger mzuri au mtunzi mzuri katika kwaya au bendi na si kutokana na mipangilio. Pia nawajua arrangers wengi ambao hata wao hawajui kuwa ni arrangers, hivyo ‘majembe’ kama hayo yakifukuzwa au kuhama kwaya au bendi, basi vikundi hivyo vinaanza kudorora, na si mara moja nimekuta hata kwaya/bendi zenyewe hazijui kwanini ghafla kuna ukame wa tungo nzuri, pengine yule msanii aliyeitwa mzigo, kwa kuwa hakuwa muimbaji mzuri alikuwa ndie arranger bora wa kikundi hicho!!!
Labda niseme kwa kifupi, arrangement ndio ule mpangilio wa kuamua nini kipigwe na kipigwe wapi. Muziki unasheria za msingi kama vile hesabu.2+2=4, si nne na nusu wala na robo, arranger anakuwa na kipaji cha kupanga nini na anaweza kukueleza kwa nini pale kipigwe kinanda na gitaa liwe kimya au pale vipigwe vyote na kwanini iwe hivyo.
Muziki wetu wa wa kwaya au waimbaji wa siku hizi wakiwamo pia wale wa Bongoflava, umetawaliwa na waimbaji kwani swala la utunzi wa muziki na arrangement (kunakotambuliwa kama kutengeneza beat), huachiwa ‘producer’. Ni wazi ukisikiliza mfululizo wa nyimbo zinazotoka kila siku ni wazi kuwa maproducer wachache sana wanakipaji cha kuarrange, utasikia vyombo vinalia katika wimbo bila kuwa na mpangilio wala sababu ya kuwepo, hapa utasikia filimbi, mara saksafon, mara rimba, mara gitaa. Ninapo yasema hayo, sijawasahau wale waongozaji wazuri au masoloist, ambao ni watu pekee tena wenye mchango wa pekee kwenye vikundi vyetu vya uimbaji. Hawa nao wakiondoka huachapengo kubwa sana.

ZANA ZA UTUNZI
Mtunzi au mwandishi wa nyimbo, popote alipo anashauriwa kuwa na zana muhimu kama; Kifaa chochote cha kurekodia, daftari au notebook na kalamu. Kwa dunia ya leo, ukiwa na simu yako ya mkononi au tablet inatosha. Kwa lugha nyingine tunasema; Ikiwa kweli unataka kuchukua uandishi au utuzi wako wako wa wimbo kwa umakini mkubwa, unapaswa kujenga tabiaya kubeba zana au vifaa vya utunzi/uandishi wa nyimbo popote ulipo. (If you want to take your songwriting seriously and create authentic music, you should do your best to carry songwriting materials with you everywhere).

UANDISHI WA WIMBO.

MWANZO BORA WA UANDISHI BORA WA WIMBO.

Ifahamike ya kwamba kuna aina nyingi za kuanza kuandika wimbo, ila njia MAKINI ni ya kuanza na MADA ambayo itakupa JINA/TITLE.

UMUHIMU WA JINA/TITLE/MADA.

1. Jina la wimbo ni moyo wa wimbo.

2. Jina huelezea wimbo mzima.

3. Jina/Mada itakuongoza vyema ktk kuandika mistari na kukufanya usiandike nje ya mada.

Unda au chagua jina ambalo ni fupi si zaidi ya maneno matano (5) ili iwe rahisi kukumbukwa na mashabiki hata iwe rahisi kuiomba redioni au kuisema kwa marafiki au washikaji zao. Juu ya hili unaweza fanya uchunguzi wa kupitia majina ya nyimbo mbalimbali ili uone ufupi wa majina ya nyimbo unavyokuwa na madhara chanya kwa mashabiki.

Endelea kufatilia hii kitu tafadhari,na uwape habari marifiki. Wakati ujao tutaangalia kuhusu INTRO, CHORUS, VERSE, CHORUS, VERSE, CHORUS, OUTRO

Ukitaka Huduma ya kuandikiwa au kutungiwa limbo mzuri wasiliana namimi mwalimu wak wa Sauti Afrika Masahriki.

Kocha John Shabani

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