Renamo held a funeral on Saturday, September 28, for its founder and first commander, André Matade Matsangaísse, in central Mozambique. His remains were transferred from Gorongosa, where he died 45 years ago, with renewed calls for his recognition as a national hero.
“Today, we pay a long-overdue tribute,” said Renamo president Ossufo Momade at the ceremony in Xinhambuse, Manica province, the birthplace of Matsangaísse. While he is hailed as a hero by many in central Mozambique, particularly among Renamo supporters, others, especially in the southern regions, view him more controversially.
A former member of the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), Matsangaísse played a pivotal role in the outbreak of the Mozambican civil war in 1977, leading Renamo’s armed resistance against the post-independence socialist government, initially backed by Rhodesia. He continued to command Renamo forces until his death in combat in Gorongosa in 1979, Renamo’s first base.
Renamo sees Matsangaísse as a champion of democracy and freedom, demanding that he be declared a national hero. “We call on the Mozambican state once again to recognize Matsangaísse as a national hero”, urged Momade, emphasizing his opposition to the communist regime and his contributions to the country’s democratic movement. After his death, Matsangaísse was succeeded by Afonso Dhlakama, who led Renamo until 2018.
The remains of Matsangaísse were exhumed from a cemetery in the former village of Paiva, Gorongosa, on September 26 and transferred to the family cemetery in Manica district, where he was laid to rest in his birthplace.