Teodato Hunguana

Who is Teodato Hunguana?

Teodato Mondim da Silva Hunguana is the chairman of the boards of Telecomunicações de Moçambique and Mcel. He is a former Mozambican lawyer and politician.

He was born in 1946, the son of Augusto da Silva Hunguana and Amélia Abudo Hunguana. He graduated with a Law Degree from the University of Lisbon in 1972, becoming one of the very few black Mozambican lawyers.

He became National Director of Labour 1975 following Mozambique's independence from Portuguese rule on 25 June 1975. He was then appointed Minister of Justice in 1978 by the late President Samora Machel and held that post until being appointed Deputy Minister of Interior in 1983. In that role, he helped resettle unemployed urban residents to rural areas. In 1986, President Machel appointed him Minister of Information. Hunguana's appointment occurred a couple of months before Machel and thirty three others were killed in a tragic plane crash in Mbuzini, South Africa. While Hunguana was Minister of Information, several journalists were either expelled from Mozambique, dismissed from their positions, arrested, or resigned after harassment from the ministry.