FRELIMO was founded in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 25 June 1962, when three regionally based nationalist organizations: the Mozambican African National Union (MANU), National Democratic Union of Mozambique (UDENAMO), and the National African Union of Independent Mozambique (UNAMI,) merged into one broad-based guerrilla movement.
FRELIMO blev grundlagt i Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, den 25. juni 1962 da tre regionale baserede nationalistorganisationer, Mozambiques afrikanske nationale union (MANU), Mozambiques nationale demokratiske union (UDENAMO) og Uafhængige Mozambiques nationale afrikanske union (UNAMI) slog sig sammen til en bredere baseret guerillabevægelse.