Samora Moisés Machel

Samora Machel's record is that of a liberation leader rather than a celebrity. He led FRELIMO to victory over Portuguese colonial rule and became the first president of independent Mozambique in 1975. His government's early emphasis on health and literacy left a mark, and his support for Zimbabwe's independence and the ANC made him a central figure in Southern Africa's liberation struggles. The Mbuzini crash site is a memorial, and forty years after his death, in 2026, both Mozambique and South Africa honoured his memory.