Every country rises and falls on leadership. Practically, leadership is the moving force of any economy or booming institution in the world. The world fortunately is gifted with leaders who have caused positive impacts and have moved collapsed nations to formidable giants. Amongst these leaders is Joaquim Chissano. A man known for his rare talents in persuasion and negotiation, and celebrated for his ability to turn a war-torn country into a haven.
Born from a humble beginning in 1939 in a small town of Malehice, in Mozambique. Chissano grew out of abject poverty gradually to become the redemption of the country. A leader who with a formidable team took Mozambique out of the hands of colonial masters and …show more content…
However, in 1994, he legitimately became the second president of Mozambique through an election he conducted. In this period, Mozambique was experiencing a civil war which had lasted for slightly over ten years and tensions had risen. The Federation Liberation Movement (FRELIMO), a belligerent in the war was strongly opposed by an anti-communist organisation at the time. Mozambique had lost millions of people in the war and had most of its citizens displaced. For any leader who is faced with such a situation, the urge to shed responsibility lingers, but not Chissano. In 1992, during his reign as president, Chissano was able to convince his strong opposition to sign a peace treaty to bring the war to an amicable end. (Dava, Chigora, & Tawanda, …show more content…
He knew Mozambique had just retired from war, and the issue of peace was crucial to the citizenry at the time. In his own wisdom, he introduced a meditation technique and encouraged his colleagues and later a deal of the populace to meditate twice daily. This resulted in internal peace of the majority, which in effect led “to peace and balance”, as testified by Chissano.
Having been criticized for his formidable friendship with the president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, Chissano has been able to prove himself as a noble man who respects institutions. Even though the Mozambican constitution made him eligible for the presidency for an extra term. He took a decision to step down and give his colleagues an opportunity to lead. He indeed understood that strong institutions are crucially needed more than strong men.
Also, after his tenure as a president, he continues to engage with his environment and the world at large. Chissano has assumed various roles in the United Nations over the years and has played an impactful role in the campaign for peace. He uses his skills in conflict resolution to help African countries in a similar situation as Mozambique a few year ago. An example is the instrumental role he played in aiding to solve the conflict in southern Sudan. (United Nations Security Council,