Tambara Airport

The primary reason for closure was the cessation of its military and logistical purpose following the Rome General Peace Accords in 1992. The airstrip was likely built or used extensively to support forces during the civil war. With the end of hostilities, there was no longer a need for it, and without any significant civilian or economic demand to justify its maintenance, it was abandoned and fell into disrepair.

The site is completely abandoned and non-functional. High-resolution satellite imagery of the coordinates shows a faint outline of a former runway that has been entirely reclaimed by vegetation and erosion. There are no visible buildings, hangars, or any other aviation infrastructure remaining. The land is undeveloped and appears to be unused, surrounded by rural bushland and small-scale agriculture.

Tambara Airport was a strategically important, unpaved airstrip during the Mozambican Civil War (1977-1992). The Tambara District was a major stronghold for the Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO). The airstrip served as a crucial logistical point for receiving covert air-dropped supplies, equipment, and personnel from external supporters, such as Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and apartheid-era South Africa. Operations would have involved rugged transport aircraft capable of landing on short, unprepared fields, such as the Douglas C-47 Dakota, which were commonly used for such missions in the region.

There are no known or publicly discussed plans to reopen or redevelop Tambara Airport. The region lacks the economic or tourism-related demand to justify the significant investment required to clear the land, rebuild the runway, and construct necessary facilities. Any regional air transport needs are served by larger, established airports such as Chimoio Airport (FQCH).