The death of Feliciano Gundana, on 9 December, represents the disappearance of one of the last members of a select group of a generation of national heroes, notable not only for their dedication and sacrifice so that Mozambique could become free, but also for the example of dignity they managed to give to the function of political leadership.
Born on January 15, 1940, in Inharingue, Machanga District, south of Sofala Province, Gundana was a member of the Mozambique Democratic Union (UDENAMO), one of the three nationalist movements that under the leadership of Eduardo Chivambo Mondlane, on June 25, 1962, came together in Dar es Salaam to form the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO), the organization that led the armed struggle that culminated with independence in 1975.
Said in this way, it all sounds very simple. But the act of being part of this libertarian gesture demanded from some an unusual degree of personal sacrifice, of the kind of what Winston Churchill would describe as “never so much has been owed by so many to so few”. In fact, men of this race were so few for so many beneficiaries.
Of course, Gundana did not earn his reputation and respect only as a protagonist of the national liberation movement. He leaves us at a time when, in the collective desperation in search of landmarks, his legacy is an inexhaustible source of inspiration on the perfect example of a public servant with integrity, dignity and loaded with a spirit of ethics that is uncommon today.
Very little has been said about the man, but this is perhaps a reflection of his personality as a discreet person, comfortable in his silence, but above all of someone who in life assumed all his responsibilities without expecting anything in return, beyond what could be legitimately due to him.
The launch of the book about his life, which was scheduled for December 18, would perhaps bring more revelations about him, but death did not want to wait for many to have the privilege of knowing him in all his dimension, including the confidences with comrades in the trenches.
But from the little that is known about him, it is possible to confirm that he never shouted that his status as a freedom fighter and public servant entitled him to rights that were different from those of others. He never claimed that for all that he did to the nation, wealth belonged to him as a matter of predetermination. On the contrary, wanting to remain the same as others, others had to intercede so that he could enjoy the benefits that were inherently his.
The loss of a hero of Gundana’s stature is always painful. Many will remember the often difficult path they walked with him, and will not be able to hold back their tears. Many will feel the lasting absence of a true friend. But the real tribute that can be paid to this man is to follow his example; a society thirsty for values needs, at every moment, to remind itself about the teachings from people like Feliciano Gundana, sophisticated in their simplicity and not in the display of exuberance, always the first in sacrifice, for the benefit of all.
