More than a simple landmark, the Samora Machel statue is a national symbol, the manifestation of our national unity, victory, and pride. The Samora Machel Statue is a bronze sculpture located in the center of independence square in Maputo, Mozambique. The statue depicts Samora Machel (1933-1986), military, revolutionary, and the first president of Mozambique.

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THIS STATUE?

Every Provincial Capital has a statue of Samora Machel in Mozambique. The Maputo Independent Square statue is the tallest of all other statues in the whole country. Last but not least, it shares a couple of common aspects with Nelson Mandela’s statue – They’re both made out of bronze and 9 meters high. The difference is that Samora Machel’s statue weighs 4.8 tons and was inaugurated in 2011, whereas, Nelson Mandela’s weighs 4.5 tons and was inaugurated in 2013.

Nelson Mandela statue – South African Government Headquarter

HISTORY BEHIND THE STATUE AND SOME INTERESTING FACTS

Well, the statue was designed and constructed in Pyongyang, North Korea by the Mansudae Overseas Projects, an arm of the Mansudae Art Studio. It sits on a marble slab 2.7 meters (8.9 ft) high at the head of Samora Machel Avenue and is illuminated at night. The statue has been criticized for bearing little resemblance to Samora. The Samora Machel Statue stands in front of Maputo City Hall on the spot formerly occupied by a statue of Joaquim Augusto Mouzinho de Albuquerque, Governor-General of Portuguese Mozambique from 1896 to 1897.

Mouzinho de Albuquerque statue during colonial Mozambique (1960’s)

WHAT HAPPENED TO MOUZINHO DE ALBUQUERQUE STATUE?

When Mozambique became independent in 1975, the nation decided to get rid of all symbols that reflected the presence of the Portuguese and reminded them about colonialism. Because the statue Mouzinho de Albuquerque was at the heart of the city, it was one of the first symbols to be taken down. Instead of destroying it, as many Mozambicans would wish, the statue was removed from the square and placed at the Maputo Fortress, for historic and cultural preservation purposes.

Manuel (right), an American tourist (left), and Mouzinho statue (behind)