Samora Machel

1933 – 1986 Mozambican Revolutionary leader, first President of Mozambique

Led Mozambique to independence and died in a plane crash.

Affiliations: FRELIMO

Samora Machel led FRELIMO's armed struggle against Portuguese rule and became Mozambique's first president at independence in 1975. His Marxist government faced a devastating civil war against the RENAMO insurgency, which was backed by Rhodesia and apartheid South Africa. He died in 1986 when his plane crashed near the South African border, in circumstances that remain contested.

In the timeline

1986 Samora Machel dies in a plane crash at Mbuzini central figure