Mozambique:The borrower has now become the lender
Mozambique has come a long way from the days that Mozambicans lined the streets of Harare and were treated like dogs by Zimbabweans. Zimbabweans used the derogatory term “Mosken” to describe those of Mozambican heritage who were refugees during the brutal terrorist attacks by the South African apartheid sponsored MNR bandits. Mozambicans fled from their homes into Zimbabwe since they could not go into South Africa for refuge.
The hospitality that they received from the Zimbabwean neighbors was anything but cordial. They were blamed for all the ills of society and given the worst jobs basically always at the mercy of Zimbabweans who had just tasted freedom from colonial rule and were now ruling.
Mozambique is a former Portuguese colony and when the Portuguese left they put sugar in all the plumbing systems and machinery therefore taking the country back to the Stone Age. Adding petrol to the fire the South African government sponsored MNR bandits to destabilize the independent government killing many people who would have been valuable members of society. If that was not enoughMozambique has been hit by cyclones and wild weather which has hampered the development and progress of the nation.
Bloomberg BusinessWeek are reporting that Zimbabwe owes Mozambique $144M and that the Zimbabwe Electric Supply Authority was going to pay $36M to pay off its debt to the Mozambican electric giant Hidroelectrica de Cahora Bassa. Zimbabweans are now eating the humble pie and begging Mozambique to keep the lights on.