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Discuss the strength and the weakness of FRELIMO in the war against colonial government

Discuss the strength and the weakness of FRELIMO in the war against colonial government.

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Strengths of FRELIMO in Mozambique.
a) A few Africans were privileged to acquire university education in Portugal and came to form
the bulk of FRELIMO leadership.
b) The overwhelming support Mozambique fighters received from other African states e.g.
Tanzania, Zimbabwe and DRC. From these countries, they gained moral and military
support.
c) FRELIMO was a formidable, well-organized force, which witnessed rapid expansion from a
mere 250 in 1964 to 35000 in 1967.
d) The forested environment favoured guerilla warfare. Moreover, the soldiers knew the
topography of the country.
e) The local population gave their logistic support to the fighters, having become tired of the
extreme suppression by the Portuguese administration.
f) The movement fighters had their own supply of food.
g) African countries through OAU were united against the Portuguese in Mozambique.
h) The communist countries notably USSR and china gave FRELIMO military aid.
i) FRELIMO adopted the right strategy; liberating the country bit by bit and systematically.
This approach won the local people’s support for the movement.
j) The FRELIMO Army consisted of all tribes, all sexes and all ages. The women played a very
important role in the success of the war. I.e. spies, some fought, hiding the fighters and
cooking for them.
WEaknesses of FRELIMO
a) Africans experienced severe shortage of basic needs while in the forests. The government
forces ensured that food and other supplies did not reach the fighters.
b) The attitude of the church in Mozambique made many African faithful reluctant to support
the liberation war. The church termed FRELIMO a terrorist organization.
c) FRELIMO suffered internal divisions due to ideological differences and selfish ambitions
among some of the nationalists. African elites like Reverend Uria Simango and Lazaro
Kavandame saw FRELIMO as an instrument of acquiring assets for their own selfish benefits.
d) Competition from rival guerilla movements like Revolutionary Committee of Mozambique
(COREMO) which broke away from FRELIMO in 1965 due to the later’s lean towards socialism.
e) The assassination of FRELIMO leader Eduardo Mondlane in Da es Salaam on 3rd February
1969 was a great blow to the nationalists.
f) The brutality employed by the Portuguese in dealing with FRELIMO sympathizers. For
example at Wiriyamu, in December 1972, 400 civilians, protesting against the Portuguese administration, were massacred.
g) The apartheid regime in South Africa and the Unilateral Declaration of Independence
regime in south Rhodesia combined forces to fight the nationalists in Mozambique since they were a threat to their countries.

Real Educator answered the question on January 27, 2019 at 13:17

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Discuss the strength and the weakness of FRELIMO in the war against colonial government

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