In the early 30’s of last century the capital was transferred from? to the plateau.
It was in the 60’s that with the intensification of the armed struggle that would lead to the country’s independence that the village became a city in 1962 and it was then that the most significant public works took place such as: the building housing public departments, the inauguration of the airport as well as the inauguration of the electrical station and the public electrical distribution network, the Technical School that integrated the High School was built, the railway link between Nacala and Vila Cabral was inaugurated and the public water supply reticulation was extended in 1969.

In face of the population increase a new development plan was commissioned in 1971.The town has a population calculated in 75.350 inhabitants and covers an area of 290 km2 organised in 11 suburbs.
The town of Cuamba owes its existence to its privileged geographical position along the Niassa-Zambézia-Nampula axis and to the railway that links the city to the city of Lichinga, to the harbour in Nacala and to Malawi.

With the onset of the struggle for national liberation the village became an important military centre on account of its strategic position.

The colonial occupation is very old and the settlement was only decreed a village in 1937 under the name of Vila Freixo.

The town covers an area of 131km2 organised in 11 suburbs and has a calculated population of 56.801 inhabitants. The village of Mentangula is situated on the eastern shores of the Niassa Lake and covers an area of 81 km2 organised in in 12 suburbs and with an estimated population of 98.000 inhabitants.

Other destinations are: Massangulo, in the district of Ngauma, is situated 65 km north of Mandinba and has a mission at the base of the mountain named after it and Cobué that is situated 80km north of Metangula on the shores of Lake Niassa with access to the island of Likoma in Malawi.