A week in Harare
, a thread about being a Zambian visitor in Zim. Youâve 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


1. Harare is Beautiful
Itâs 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, âweâve normalized the abnormal.â
Itâs 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, âweâve normalized the abnormal.â
2. Shock 1 - Roaming Doesnât Work. Got to the airport and my roaming didnât work. Bought a cross border WhatsApp bundle, waste of cash, doesnât work. The phone occasionally rings, you pickup and canât hear a thing.
3. Itâs a cash economy
The physical local currency is in extremely short supply. In a week I didnât 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 didnât 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 youâre not spending the whole note, youâre 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 youâre not spending the whole note, youâre 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 âthe card machine is not workingâ is code for we donât accept international cards. Even in the departure lounge of the airport, the cafe claim âthe card machine is not workingâ we were encouraged to pay with Ecocash
I later learnt that âthe card machine is not workingâ is code for we donât accept international cards. Even in the departure lounge of the airport, the cafe claim âthe card machine is not workingâ we were encouraged to pay with Ecocash

When I compare it to Nigeria, itâs 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. Itâs kind of âThis is how it isâ
In Zim, the attitude was very different. Itâs kind of âThis is how it isâ