How did Frelimo’s policies toward religious organizations change after independence?

Following Mozambique's independence in 1975, the Frelimo government adopted a complex and often restrictive stance toward religious organizations. While the state officially affirmed a policy of open and free religious affiliation, its broader Marxist-Leninist ideological framework actively discouraged religious expression and organization.12

During this period, the government’s actions were marked by inconsistency. Notably, Frelimo actively persecuted the country’s Jehovah’s Witnesses, reflecting a broader climate of official disdain for certain religious activities. This ideological pressure contrasted with the colonial era, during which the Roman Catholic Church had enjoyed a privileged, state-subsidized position.1

By the end of the 1980s, however, Frelimo shifted its approach. The government moved away from its earlier discouragement of faith, allowing religious organizations to reemerge and regain their status as an important popular force within Mozambican society.1