Daviz Simango dies at 57

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Daviz Simango dies at 57

3:17 CAT | 22 Feb 2021

Picture: MDM

Daviz Simango, leader of opposition party Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM) and mayor of Beira, died this Monday.

Daviz died in a private hospital in South Africa, his brother Lutero Simango, head of the MDM bench in the Assembly of the Republic, told the press. He had been evacuated by air on February 13 to a health facility in South Africa due to a sudden health problem, which was never specified.

Speaking to Lusa, José Domingos, MDM secretary-general, also confirmed Simango’s death at the age of 57.

“We received the news at 1:00 a.m. through family sources, who confirmed his death in a health facility in South Africa in the early hours of this morning,” Domingos said.

Daviz Simango “had complications when some family members at his home were diagnosed with the new coronavirus”, but the actual cause of death must await proper medical determination, Domingos stressed.

“We have doubts [ as to what Daviz died of]. The cause of death must be confirmed by medical sources,” he said

“While in South Africa, he was showing signs of improvement, but we ended up losing our great leader, the founder of the MDM and the president of the municipal council of Beira,” said the MDM Secretary General.

José Domingos said that the MDM would comment officially on the death this Monday at the national headquarters in Maputo, where the party leadership is expected to meet.

He further said that “it is still too early” to announce details about the funeral ceremonies, especially given that Daviz Simango died in another country.

“There is bureaucracy to deal with.” “It can take time,” he concluded.

Daviz Mbepo Simango, born on February 7, 1964, in Tanzania, served as mayor of Beira since 2003.

He graduated as a civil engineer from Eduardo Mondlane University.

He joined the opposition Renamo party in 1997 and became Mayor of Beira in 2003 as its candidate. He abandoned Renamo and, on March 6, 2009, founded a new party, the Democratic movement of Mozambique (MDM).

His parents, Uria Simango and Celina Tapua Simango were founders and high ranking members of the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique, formed in 1962 in Tanzania, which waged the struggle for independence.

Uria Simango, who was also a pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Central Africa, served as Vice-President of the Front, from its formation, in 1962, until the time of the assassination of its first leader Eduardo Mondlane, in February 1969. Celina Simango was the first president of the Frelimo Women’s League.

Both Uria and Celina Simango were extra-judicially executed under the first government of the country they helped to liberate.

Uria and Celina Simango had three children: Lutero, Daviz and Maúca. The younger brother, Mauca, died in Oporto, Portugal, on January 18, 2004.

#RIP #DavizSimango Mayor of cyclone haunted port town #Beira, second town in #Mozambique.

Victim of #covid19 too.

He built a lot of bridges and was a key person in trade & aid relations between #Mozambique and the #Netherlands https://t.co/aTMmxEVGbH

— Danny Wijnhoud, PhD (@DannyWijnhoud) February 22, 2021

Com tristeza tomei conhecimento do falecimento de Daviz Simango. Pelo homem que foi, seu compromisso político, abertura e carisma, fico muito emocionado com esta trágica notícia. Quero, em meu nome e da Delegação🇪🇺, expressar à família sentidas condolências neste momento de dor. pic.twitter.com/Tqu4HXlSW6

— Antonio Sánchez-Benedito Gaspar (@SBeneditoEU) February 22, 2021

Foi com profunda tristeza que tive conhecimento do falecimento de Daviz Simango, Presidente do Movimento Democrático de Moçambique (MDM) 🇲🇿 e Presidente do Conselho Municipal da Beira. As minhas condolências à família e aos munícipes da Cidade da Beira. @clubOmozambique pic.twitter.com/wr50AHwh1E

— NneNne Iwuji-Eme (@NneNneUK) February 22, 2021

Daviz Simango, a Mozambican politician, a son of the soil, a son of revolutionaries and a revolutionary himself, a champion of climate change is No More! #RIPDavizSimango pic.twitter.com/Rr1EabW1tv

— JosinaZMachel (@JosinaZMachel) February 22, 2021