Dr. Ipyana Peter Kibona is a celebrated gosspel music minister and medical doctor who has become a significant figure in Tanzania’s gospel music scene. With hits such as “Niseme Nini”, “Kama si Mkono Wako”, and “Nawezaje Kunyamaza”, Dr. Ipyana has touched countless lives through his heartfelt worship songs.
With over a decade of experience in the music industry, Dr. Ipyana’s songs resonate deeply with audiences seeking a closer relationship with God. His music, often centered around themes of gratitude, is distinguished by its quality, sincerity, and unwavering focus on glorifying God rather than appealing to human accolades.
Among his notable tracks, “Niseme Nini” (What Can I Say?) has become a household and church staple in Kenya, drawing listeners to embrace a posture of gratitude. Similarly, “Nawezaje Kunyamaza” (How Can I Be Silent?) and “Kama si Mkono Wako” (Were It Not for Your Hand) continue to inspire worshippers with their powerful messages of thankfulness.
Beyond his music ministry, Dr. Ipyana has also pioneered Ibada Clinic (Worship Clinics), creating a platform for people to encounter God through worship. This initiative, deeply influenced by his medical background, has seen lives transformed and many receiving spiritual and physical healing. Dr. Ipyana views these clinics as a divine assignment, combining his dual passions for ministry and medicine.
Dr. Ipyana Peter Kibona’s unwavering dedication to worship and service has made him a beacon of hope and inspiration in the gospel music industry and beyond.
Dr Ipyana’s Bio
Dr Ipyana Kibona was born and raised in Mbeya, Tanzania – a city that is home to other Tanzanian gospel bigwigs like minister Paul Clement. He was raised in a christian family but would personally receive salvation in 2001 when he joined highschool.
Unbeknownst to some, the celebrated singer is a medical doctor by profession. Both his parents were in the healthcare sector, and a young Ipyana would spend significant time in hospitals. His mother worked as a nurse while the father a health officer.
However, it was an unfortunate encounter with a doctor who refused to tend to his ailing nephew once that inspired him to pursue medicine. His desire? To help the less advantaged access healthcare.
Now a fulltime minister, the acclaimed singer practices medicine parttime.
A quick factsheet on Dr. Ipyana
| Full Name | Dr. Ipyana Peter Kibona |
| Birthday Date | March 19 |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | Theodora Ipyana |
| Number of Children | 3 |
| Home Town | Mbeya |
| Alma Matter | Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences |
| Profession | Music Minister, Singer, Songwriter, Medical Doctor |
Journey into Gospel Music
Dr Ipyana’s musical journey is quite riveting with a simple start that affirms God calling over the singer. He received salvation in 2001. His interest music coupled with his new found salvation paved the way for him to nurture his talent. He started singing when he was in form 2 and would sing as he cycled to school, taking the longer route to ensure he had enough time to practise. It was here that he took to music.
Between the years 2012 and 2014, he toyed with the idea of doing live recordings but was convicted by God reassuring him that had his mentors not done their live recordings, their songs would not have impacted him the way they did.
Fast forward to medical school between 2016 and 2020 when God would occasionally prompt him to record his music. In obedience, he held his first worship experiences in 2016 and 2017 that were not recorded before ultimately doing a live recording in 2018 for Wanishangaza.
Interestingly enough, his music career took off while he was in between jobs following his resignation from being a manager at a health facility. Ipyana would work on his music while he sought out job opportunities.
Like with many other artists, the father did not exactly jump at the idea of his son giving up medicine for a music career but the reception that Ipyana’s music received would change his mind with the father blessing his son and his new embarking.
Dr Ipyana is now an established singer with a total of 32 songs.
Marriage
Dr. Ipyana married the love of his life, Theodora Ipyana in a lavish ceremony on 2nd November, 2013. The couple are proud parents to three boys. The two met back when Dr. Ipyana was doing his undergraduate degree at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences while Theodora was pursuing her diploma.
On what drew him to Theodora? Her simplicity and the fact that she stayed despite the fact that he went on to pursue other ladies in campus. It was in his fourth year that he made the decision to fully and exclusively pursue Theodora and the rest is history!
Challenges
Dr. Ipyana has not shied away from speaking on the challenges he has met along the way and more so the testimonies that have come from each and every challenge.
In 1986, when he was two, he had an accident which saw his body suffering from 80% burns. His mother, a recent convert who had only been in the faith a month at the time, rushed him to hospital and prayed over him. While the doctors barely had faith in his chances of survival, it was a storekeepers assistance by giving him the medication he needed that accelerated his recovery. That too, led to his passion to pursue medicine and help others like himself in who are in need.
In 2015, while he was still working as a manager, armed robbers broke into his home, assaulted him and ended up bursting his right eye. He was rushed to Muhimbili National Hospital where the men that taught him operated on him and despite their best efforts, his eye became temporarily blind until around June when he prayed for God to restore his eyesight and he did.
Following a disagreement between him and his bosses, he resigned from his high-paying job in 2016 unbeknownst to him that that would be his last time practicing medicine fulltime. Following his departure, he sought jobs in the medical field but was unable to get a place given he had a higher ranking prior to that and every role he tried was of a lower rank as compared to his managerial role.
Dr. Ipyana has also spoken on the toll that raising a differently abled child can have on any individual. Speaking from his experience on raising his first born son Melchizedek, who was born without the ability to hear and could therefore not speak. Being a professional doctor, he saw the signs but was in denial.
Muhimbili National Hospital was running a clinic and Dr. Ipyana and his wife decided to take their son for an operation so that he could regain his hearing ability. Every other child who went in for the surgery had a successful surgery except for Melchizedek who developed complications. During the surgery, the doctors disturbed one of his facial nerves which led to him having paralysis shortly as he received healing after his parents prayed for him.
Although they are still waiting on a miracle regarding his hearing, they got a sponsor who covered Melchizedek’s tuition fees to an international school further rubber stamping that God continues to fight for them every step of the way. Dr. Ipyana lauds his wife as being a pillar of strength especially when it comes to raising their son and says:
He is not a special needs child, he is special and we trust God for the gift that He has given Melchizedek
Dr. Ipyana
Discography
Dr. Ipyana’s songs have stemmed from his personal experiences, encounters and revelations from God. He speaks of a time in ministry where his music ministered to everyone else but he had not yet received the breakthrough he was hoping for.
He sang Hata hili litapita alongside Paul Clement at a time when he was struggling to make ends meet. He had just resigned from his job and when he and his wife were expecting their second child. Theodora, who was still working, financed his ministry through which people received healing. He once received a testimony of an individual who was trusting God for a scholarship which she ended up receiving while he was still awaiting his own financial breakthrough.
In 2012, Dr. Ipyana released his first album which included the songs Nina haja nawe, umestahili heshima and wa milele and re-did the last two songs in 2019.
While he was still struggling financially and nearly gave into seeking financial help from a source that contradicted his faith, he received a revelation from God stopping him from going on with the deal. After his revelation, he sang I’ll be waiting/ Covenant Keeping God/ Worship while Waiting and Nashangazwa in 2020.
Dr. Ipyana brags of a vast portfolio of songs having created 2 albums dubbed Praise & Worship songs (Deluxe Version) and Kama Mbinguni which was a live recording. He is, however, most known for his EPs which have received worldwide acclamation.
In 2020, he released Vinakamilika, a song that was written by a Rwandese who wanted the song to be done in Swahili. Dr. Ipyana says that he needed no convincing to record the song. Not only has the song ministered to Dr. Ipyana but has had quite the impact on its listeners who resonate with the fact that God’s stamp of approval sees to it that any declaration comes to life and completion.
Kama si Mkono Wako was released the following year and was a declaration of how God helped him get through really difficult seasons in his life which is a timeless classic for believers around the continent.
In 2022, Dr. Ipyana went on release ‘Niseme Nini‘ which had a great reception upon its release. The song which has now surpassed 20 million views on YouTube and been dubbed the thanksgiving anthem is a constant reminder to have a posture of thanksgiving.
2024 was a big year for Dr. Ipyana as it featured the release of some his very highly anticipated EPs such as ‘Nawazeja Kunyamaza/ Namna Hii Sijaona’, Kwako Nasimama featuring Nyasha Ngoloma, Nataka Nikuone and Nikiwa Nawe.
In the same year, he released a couple of singles which include: Aah Umetenda, Chants of Victory, Wewe Mungu Upo and Ubhaghile featuring Ambwene.
Awards and Recognition
It’s no secret that Dr. Ipyana’s music has reached thousands of listeners and viewers who relate to his well organized and crafted songs that convey a message of gratitude and it is no wonder that his audiences just can’t get enough.
Dr. Ipyana first received global traction after he did his first live recording in 2018, and which he took as a sign that God was showing him not to despite his small beginnings. He recorded Moyo Wangu alongside Goodluck which ranked 9th in South Africa’s iTunes, a great leap for a new musician.
He has also received accolades for his Vinyl Records for which he has been lauded as a man that preserves the gospel music culture and emphasizes the timelessness of worship music.
Moreover, he has been invited to various prestigious ceremonies such as the All Women Together Conference which happened in 2024, to minister to the audience.
It goes without saying that his music continues to inspire us all and we cannot wait to hear more of his songs this coming decade!