Samora Machel - The Fearless Leader from Africa’s Gaza

Mozambique, like much of Africa, was shackled by colonialism. For 500 years, the Portuguese controlled its land, its people, and its soul. The plantation owners grew fat, while the people withered under brutal oppression. But in Machel’s veins ran a rebellious spirit. He joined the ranks of the FRELIMO (Mozambican Liberation Front), an organization that, at the time, could have been dismissed as a ragtag army with lofty dreams. But Machel, driven by something deeper, turned those dreams into reality.

In his youth, he trained as a nurse, healing the wounds of others while nursing a deeper wound of his own – the wound of watching his people suffer. His patients were not only the physically ill, but those mentally and spiritually beaten down by colonial rule. He knew that true healing would not come from medicine. It would come from revolution.

By 1969, Machel had risen to lead FRELIMO’s military wing. He was not a man who believed in half-measures or negotiations with oppressors. His leadership style was bold, sometimes even harsh. He believed in total sacrifice. Machel didn’t just fight for independence, he lived it. He was often seen on the front lines, side by side with his
comrades, sharing their hunger, their exhaustion, their danger. He once said, “To liberate a country, you must make every man, woman, and child feel that this is their fight.”

And he meant it.

Under Machel’s leadership, Mozambique waged one of the most brutal wars for independence in Africa’s history. By 1975, Machel stood in triumph as the first President of a free Mozambique. But the real challenge was just beginning.

The President Who Would Not Be a Puppet

It’s tempting to think that the end of colonialism would lead to immediate peace and prosperity. But Machel knew better. While Mozambique had won its freedom, it was still entangled in a web of global Cold War politics. The United States, the Soviet Union, apartheid South Africa, and neighboring Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) all sought to pull strings in this new nation.

But Machel was nobody’s puppet.

He governed with an iron resolve, pushing for Marxist policies that he believed would lift his people out of poverty and free them from the grip of neo-colonialism. He nationalized land and industries, focusing on education, healthcare, and the empowerment of women. His Mozambique was meant to be a beacon for a new kind of African governance – strong, independent, and for the people.

Yet, his path was not without controversy. His policies alienated some, and civil war erupted in Mozambique, fueled by external powers who feared his growing influence. Still, Machel’s vision for a truly liberated Africa never wavered. He believed in unity, not only for Mozambique but for the entire African continent. And that dream made him dangerous to those who sought to divide Africa.
Click here to read part 2 of this Ibrahim Traore series

Machel’s life, though full of triumphs, ended in tragedy. On October 19, 1986, the aircraft carrying him and several Mozambican officials crashed into the Lebombo Mountains near Mbuzini, just across the border in South Africa. The crash killed him and 34 others. Many questions surrounding the crash remain unanswered to this day, feeding into a web of controversy. It is widely believed that the South African apartheid regime had a hand in his death. Machel had been a thorn in their side, providing sanctuary to South African liberation fighters and unflinchingly opposing apartheid.

The official investigation suggested pilot error, but for many Africans, this explanation feels hollow, like a cover-up buried in the dust of history. Samora Machel’s death left a void not just in Mozambique, but in Africa’s collective soul.

The Lion was silenced – but only in body. His spirit, his fire, his relentless belief in African freedom and unity remain alive.

What Africa Must Learn from Machel Today

To the young people reading this, you may ask, “What does Samora Machel have to do with me? Why should I care about a man who died before I was even born?” 

The answer lies in the unfinished work he left behind. Machel lived for a united Africa, one free from the chains of both external colonizers and internal divisions. Today, Africa is still grappling with the legacies of its past – neocolonialism in the form of economic exploitation, political instability, and internal strife. Africa’s resources, much like in Machel’s time, are still largely controlled by foreign interests.

What would Machel say to today’s Africa? He would say that the fight is not over. The youth are the new soldiers in this struggle – not with guns, but with ideas, technology, and unity. He would urge Africa’s young people to reclaim their story, to build an Africa that serves Africans first. He would call on today’s leaders to embody integrity, sacrifice, and courage, just as he did.

In a world that often tries to dim Africa’s light, Samora Machel’s legacy stands as a reminder that the fire of African pride and independence must never be extinguished. His death was shrouded in mystery, but his life is a crystal-clear lesson: true freedom is never given. It is fought for, and it is won by those who dare to dream of a better tomorrow, and who are willing to fight for it, no matter the cost.

Samora Machel would have been 91 years old today. But in the hearts of those who believe in his vision for Africa, he is timeless.

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