Dhlakama laid to rest in Mangunde – Watch

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Dhlakama laid to rest in Mangunde – Watch

2:58 CAT | 11 May 2018

Photos: Deutsche Welle

The remains of Renamo president Afonso Dhlakama, who died of illness in the Gorongosa mountains in Sofala province on May 3, were buried yesterday. Contrary to what had been announced, Dhlakama was buried at about 11 a.m., because local tradition dictates that funeral ceremonies can only take place in the morning.

Thousands of people from various parts of the country and around the world joined the Dhlakama family to pay their last respects to the man who dedicated a large part of his life to the struggle for the well-being of the Mozambican nation.

Dhlakama’s remains arrived in Mangunde around 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday after leaving the city of Beira where official funeral ceremonies in the presence of President Filipe Nyusi took place.

During the journey from Beira to Magunde, the funeral procession was greeted by hundreds of members of Renamo sympathisers who headed en masse to the sides of National Road Number Six (from Beira to Inchope) and National Road Number One (Inchope-Mangunde).

On Wednesday night, Dhlakama’s next of kin held a wake for the deceased in the family residence, and at around nine o’clock yesterday, the remains were born by the guard of honour to the courtyard of the house, where relatives, members of Renamo, members of the Sofala government, represented by the governor, the mayor of Beira and friends from various parts of the country, Africa and Europe, waited anxiously for the beginning of the ceremonies of the last goodbye.

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Religious ceremonies and various messages preceded the funeral ritual. Among the messages read, the highlight goes to that of the family of André Matsangaíssa, first president of Renamo.

“Brother Dhlakama … your physical disappearance constitutes an immeasurable loss for us. We hope that the new Renamo leadership will continue holding true to the ideals of the two leaders, Matsangaíssa and Dhlakama, and carry forward the project of the country’s effective democratisation.” dhl,mangunde.dw

After the reading of messages, the remains of the Renamo president, still in the charge of the honour guard, were transported to the family cemetery located less than a kilometre from the residence of Regulo Mangunde,.

At the graveside, in an act that visibly moved those accompanying the proceedings, a salvo of shots preceded the lowering of the body. Many of those present openly wept. The flag that covered the coffin containing Dhlakama’s mortal remains was handed to the Dhlakama family.

Rahil Kane, a senior Renamo member who worked with Dhlakama for decades, said that the president of his party left the same preparation to continue the struggle for democracy and freedom, begun in 1977 by President André Matsangaíssa.

“Dhlakama contributed greatly to the construction of a state of law in the country and trained members with sufficient abilities to carry forward his ideals with dignity, and to watch over and fight for the good of the Mozambican people. For me, the death of President Dhlakama will surely help unite the Renamo family, and together we will wholeheartedly follow up the dialogue initiated in the search for an effective peace and lead this country to achieve true democracy.”

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For Manuel Pereira, Renamo’s first provincial delegate, who ran Sofala between 1993 and 2006, the death of Afonso Dhlakama clarified what his ideas were and left us many tools to continue with dignity what he and Renamo had always defended, particularly the rule of law. The physical disappearance of Renamo’s president would unite Mozambicans and contribute to the construction of a truly democratic country. “We want to ensure as a party that the ideals of Dhlakama will be followed by all members,” he said.

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For his part, Francisco Rocha, who was Afonso Dhlakama’s private secretary during the late 1990s, considered the Renamo leader a father for all Mozambicans. A father who knew how to teach unreservedly the perseverance and was extremely demanding at work. His death, in his opinion, should serve as a catalyst to unite Mozambicans and above all contribute to the courage of all to take actions that contribute to the well-being of all without thinking of personal benefits. With Dhlakama we learned that the victories do not constitute physically or verbally attacking your opponent, but talking with him in a direct way.