A week in Harare 🇿🇼, a thread about being a Zambian visitor in Zim. You’ve seen the BBC coverage now here are the facts. We need African perspectives on African adventures
#RT and 👍🏽
#RT and 👍🏽
Shout out to Emirates
Before I get into the thread, Emirates served Popico on the flight down here! Amigo 🇿🇲 #registertovote #chwechwechwe 💪🏾
Before I get into the thread, Emirates served Popico on the flight down here! Amigo 🇿🇲 #registertovote #chwechwechwe 💪🏾
1. Harare is Beautiful
It’s like being lost in Lusaka. The avenues, some of the buildings, companies all look familiar. For those who havent been, Harare is a beautiful place but behind this face is an unusual economy. A friend said to me, “we’ve normalized the abnormal.”
It’s like being lost in Lusaka. The avenues, some of the buildings, companies all look familiar. For those who havent been, Harare is a beautiful place but behind this face is an unusual economy. A friend said to me, “we’ve normalized the abnormal.”
2. Shock 1 - Roaming Doesn’t Work. Got to the airport and my roaming didn’t work. Bought a cross border WhatsApp bundle, waste of cash, doesn’t work. The phone occasionally rings, you pickup and can’t hear a thing.
3. It’s a cash economy
The physical local currency is in extremely short supply. In a week I didn’t touch a single bank note. Instead the economy is run on mobile money. Ignoring the fact that I was foreign, people kept on encouraging me to pay with Ecocash.
The physical local currency is in extremely short supply. In a week I didn’t touch a single bank note. Instead the economy is run on mobile money. Ignoring the fact that I was foreign, people kept on encouraging me to pay with Ecocash.
4. There is no change!
Heard USD was accepted again so I carried $200, trouble was, nobody had change to give. If you’re not spending the whole note, you’re encouraged to use Ecocash. Even if you sign up an Ecocash account, putting money on it is another challenge
Heard USD was accepted again so I carried $200, trouble was, nobody had change to give. If you’re not spending the whole note, you’re encouraged to use Ecocash. Even if you sign up an Ecocash account, putting money on it is another challenge
4. Visa is globally accepted right?
Wrong. I learnt that there are two types of VISA cards, local and international. In a week in Harare, only the hotel, one restaurant and our cab driver accepted international cards. The restaurant Pariah State at Sam Levy had excellent food!
Wrong. I learnt that there are two types of VISA cards, local and international. In a week in Harare, only the hotel, one restaurant and our cab driver accepted international cards. The restaurant Pariah State at Sam Levy had excellent food!
The Card Machine is Not Working
I later learnt that “the card machine is not working” is code for we don’t accept international cards. Even in the departure lounge of the airport, the cafe claim “the card machine is not working” we were encouraged to pay with Ecocash 🇿🇼
I later learnt that “the card machine is not working” is code for we don’t accept international cards. Even in the departure lounge of the airport, the cafe claim “the card machine is not working” we were encouraged to pay with Ecocash 🇿🇼
When I compare it to Nigeria, it’s night and day. In Lagos for example (that I visited this time last year), someone will tell you what the problem is and offer you 3 solutions.
In Zim, the attitude was very different. It’s kind of “This is how it is”
In Zim, the attitude was very different. It’s kind of “This is how it is”
Leaving Zim with mixed feelings. The people were really nice, the city is safe, food was amazing but they really believe in the mantra😉“Use Ecocash”
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