Presidents Of Mozambique

A statue of Samora Machel in Maputo, Mozambique. Editorial credit: Angus MacKinnon / Shutterstock.com.

Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country located in the southeastern part of Africa bordering the Indian Ocean and six other countries. It covers an estimated area of 309,496 square miles with a population of approximately 24.6 million. The country was colonized by the Portuguese from 1505 until 1975 when it gained its independence. Portuguese is its national language. The country is headed by the president who is elected by the population. The current president of Mozambique is Filipe Nyusi.聽

Presidents Of Mozambique

Samora Machel

Samora Machel was born on September 23rd, 1933 in Gaza Province, Mozambique to a family of successful farmers. He attended the mission elementary school. Samora did not complete his secondary school education but studied nursing in Maputo in 1954. He managed to get a job in a hospital in the town which aided in gathering the money to continue his education. He was against some colonial ideals and started campaigns against the colonial rule at the hospital, but since the police were watching him, he made his way to Tanzania. He underwent military training there and was part of the FRELIMO militants. He went back to Mozambique to fight the Portuguese who withdrew their powers. On June 25, 1975 the country was declared fully independent and Samora鈥檚 government worked to make sure all key areas were under state control. Samora Machel died in a fatal plane crash within South African borders on October 19th, 1986.

Joaquim Chissano

Joaquim Chissano, the second president of Mozambique, was born on October 22, 1939, in Gaza Province, Mozambique. He attended high school in Maputo where he got a chance to go to Portugal to study medicine at the University of Lisbon. He played a significant role in the founding of FRELIMO and the negotiations that led to the attainment of independence. He was appointed a foreign affairs minister by president Samora. Under his tenure, the war-torn country was united by the peace treaty he offered the rebel as well as poverty eradication. He was re-elected to the office in 1994, and in 1999 where he served until 2005.

Armando Guebuza

Armando Guebuza, the third president of the Republic of Mozambique, was born on January 20th, 1943 at Nampula, Portuguese Mozambique. At the age of 20, he became a member of the FRELIMO at the beginning of the war towards the attainment of independence. After independence, he was the leader and general of the FRELIMO and was appointed the interior minister by President Samora. He ran for the presidential post in the 2004 elections which he won and was also re-elected in 2009 where he served for five years until 2015.

Filipe Nyusi

Filipe Nyusi, the fourth and the current president of Mozambique, was born on February 9, 1959, at Mueda village, Portuguese Mozambique. He studied at a Frelimo primary and secondary school in Tunduru and Mariri respectively. He trained in politics and military issues in FRELIMO. In 2008, he was appointed the Minister of Defence and in 2014, he was a presidential candidate in elections he won.

Fuctions of the President

According to the constitution of Mozambique, the president is the head of state, the head of government, and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. He also serves as a symbol of national unity.