By ARNALDO VIEIRA

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Thousands of Mozambicans Wednesday gathered at the port city of Beira to bid farewell to fallen former rebel and opposition leader Afonso Dhlakama, media confirmed.

The O Pais newspaper reported that President Filipe Nyusi was expected to lead a host of government officials and other dignitaries in paying tribute to the former Renamo leader.

The Mozambican leader postponed a state visit to Norway and Finland following Mr Dhlakama's death.

Mr Dhlakama, who died last Thursday, will be buried Thursday at his rural Chibabava District in Sofala Province.

Heart attack

The Renamo interim leader, Mr Ossufo Momade, was earlier quoted confirming his predecessor's final resting place.

Mr Dhlakama, who mixed guerrilla warfare with opposition politics, died aged 65.

According to Renamo, Mr Dhlakama died of an unconfirmed heart attack.

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Two of his brothers, Elias and Sebastião Dhlakama, said there was no need for an autopsy on his body.

“There is no need. The autopsy for us will raise speculations.

"What we know is that he was sick,” Mr Elias Dhlakama was quoted as saying.

For 39 years, Mr Dhlakama led Renamo, which fought a 16-year war against the ruling Frelimo party until 1992 and then emerged as an opposition party that still retained armed fighters.

Decentralise power

He had since 2013 been in hiding in the remote Gorongosa mountains as sporadic conflict again erupted in the country.

But Mr Dhlakama had recently held meetings with President Nyusi and he was seen as playing a key role in the country's developing peace process.

President Nyusi and Mr Dhlakama met in February in Gorongosa to discuss disarmament and reintegration.

They had agreed on constitutional reforms that would decentralise power.