This article explores the socio-economic and environmental impact of Cahora Bassa Dam and South Africa's destabilisation campaign on the communities and ecology of the Zambezi River valley in Mozambique. It argues that the historical memories and lived experiences of these riverine communities provide important insights into the history of the area and must take centre stage in any scholarly analyses of the history, role and impact of the Cahora Bassa Dam and that concerns with "development" must not be allowed to obscure some of the real negative effects of big dam construction on the lives and livelihood of the inhabitants and the damage to the surrounding environment in areas where such dams are constructed.
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