▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁contest .   ▁Following ▁a ▁v et ting ▁process , ▁ 8 1 ▁artists ▁from ▁ 1 9 ▁countries ▁made ▁it ▁through ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁Se lections ▁phase . ▁V otes ▁from ▁the ▁general ▁public ▁and ▁the ▁A fri Music ▁jud ging ▁panel ▁combined , ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁selection ▁of ▁ 1 9 ▁countries , ▁B ots w ana , ▁Cam ero on , ▁Central ▁African ▁Republic , ▁C ô te ▁d ’ I vo ire , ▁D RC , ▁Egypt , ▁Eth iop ia , ▁Gab on , ▁Gh ana , ▁Guinea , ▁Moz amb ique , ▁Niger ia , ▁Republic ▁of ▁the ▁Congo , ▁South ▁Africa , ▁e Sw at ini , ▁T anz ania ▁and ▁Z imb ab we ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁A fri Music ▁Song ▁Cont est ▁final s . ▁ ▁Two ▁entries ▁were ▁also ▁received ▁from ▁the ▁US ▁based ▁song writ ers , ▁who , ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁rules , ▁had ▁to ▁find ▁African ▁artists ▁to ▁perform ▁their ▁songs . ▁However , ▁after ▁official ▁submission ▁and ▁ver ification ▁period ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁particip ating ▁countries ▁dropped ▁down ▁to ▁ 1 9 . ▁ ▁With ▁total ▁number ▁of ▁ 2 ▁ 3 2 5 ▁ 4 5 9 ▁public ▁votes ▁across ▁all ▁ 1 9 ▁countries , ▁Sym phony , ▁a ▁song writer ▁and ▁singer ▁from ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁e Sw at ini , ▁was ▁crown ed ▁the ▁very ▁first ▁A fri Music ▁Song ▁Cont est ▁winner ,