MANICA, Mozambique – Mozambicans appear skeptical of Morgan Tsvangirai, the opposition MDC leader, who defeated Zimbabwe’s long-time leader, President Robert Mugabe in polls whose results are yet to be made public.
Most Mozambicans appear to have fallen victim to the Zanu PF propaganda that labels Tsvangirai and his political party as “fronts” of Western imperialists “who are seeking to re-colonize through the backdoor”.
In separate interviews Mozambican nationals said by voting for Tsvangirai and his MDC party, Zimbabweans had betrayed the liberation struggle. They said thousands of Zimbabweans whose bodies were buried inside Mozambique would have been betrayed.
“What are you going to do with all those people buried here?” asked a foreign currency dealer who identified himself as Maya. “You people from Zimbabwe are not clever. You have sold your country because you wan margarine and bread.”
Moses Macapa, a vendor, said he was surprised the majority of Zimbabwean voters had voted for Tsvangirai instead of Mugabe.
“Bob has done a lot of good things to all of us,” Macapa said, “he must be left to rule Zimbabwe.” Mugabe is widely referred to as Bob by admirers and supporters.
Dominic Machande, a civil servant, weighed in saying Mugabe should not step down for Tsvangirai whom he said was a “front of the Whiteman”.
Mozambicans widely credits Mugabe for helping bring about peace in Mozambique after years of civil war which pitted government forces and Renamo then an armed rebel group.
Several other Mozambicans expressed similar sentiments.
However, most Zimbabwean national staying in Mozambique, sad they were happy that Mugabe was now going.
“I will come back home as soon as Mugabe steps down,” said Thomas Matongo, an informal trader at a market in Manica Town, about 60 km east of Mutare. “That man has destroyed our country.”
Matongo’s views were shared by many other Zimbabweans staying in this shanty town.
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