After the 1974 Portuguese coup rendered Mozambican independence inevitable, Gumane along with other opposition leaders was one of the founders of the National Coalition Party (PCN), which called for free elections following the transfer of power. However, the Lusaka Accords of September 1974 handed power directly to FRELIMO and allowed it effectively to proceed with eliminating internal opposition. Gumane and other PCN leaders were called to Blantyre in Malawi on the pretext of an urgent cabinet meeting, and were arrested at the border before being handed over to FRELIMO troops.