Visit to Zimbabwe

Sometimes when you are about to do something, you know must do, you wish somehow it could wait or someone else could do it on your behalf. But try as you may to avoid it. You must do it. That’s the situation I found myself in, in late February this year, when it was clear that I had to travel to Zimbabwe when my late mum was admitted at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka. I had to travel in order to bring Aunty Jescah (mum’s young sister) to be close to mum during her illness. I travelled on 25th February 2009 using a Piooner Bus from Zimbabwe. The bus left Lusaka at 15 30. We arrived in Harare at about 01 00. Such is the agony of travelling by bus. Taking almost 10 hours for a journey a car would take 6 hours or better still a plane 1 hour. The journey was made shorter by a lively discussion on religious and Christian matters by a Charismatic brother who was answering various questions from some passengers nearby. Zimbabweans can talk. Despite trying to follow the discussion closely, my weariness overtook me at some point and I drifted into sleep.

Mbare Bus Station where I got bus to Mutoko

I spent a night (or morning if you wish, as it was after midnight) at Russell Hotel in Avenues residential area in Harare. This is a budget hotel going for US $20 per night. The room I had has a bathroom/toilet, kitchen with self catering facilities, a living room and a bedroom with 2 twin beds. The hotel may not be one of the very best, but the beddings were clean and my body was tired so after having a nice and hot bath. In the morning, I had modest breakfast of some tea and bread served with some cooked maize porridge in the hotel’s restaurant. Thereafter, after checking out I walked to the bus station to board a bus to Mbare Inter-city bus station.

Mbare is quite an interesting area. With all sorts of characters and in years gone known for notorious thieves. I was at the station by 09 30 and bought a ticket. I was assured the bus would leave shortly for Mutoko. Somehow I knew that this was mere talk and would most likely leave at 14:00 which is the usual departure time. While waiting I went to check my e-mails and send e-mails at an Internet cafe (charging $1 per 40 minutes) at the shopping mall. As I used the net I noted one of the wallpapers on the PC I was using having a photo of Morgan Tsvingirai, the Zimbabwean Prime Minister in the Government of National Unity (GNU). It seemed to me that he was popular among the youths and urban dwellers that for long wanted change to come. Anyhow, eventually at 14 00 the bus left for Mutoko.

Denford with wife and daughter: my hosts in Mutoko

I arrived at Masenda Primary School at about 19 00. I then headed towards the village of my late Uncle Edward. A journey that should have taken me 30 minutes of walking took me almost 2 hours of walking as I got lost despite asking some people on the way. Twice I crossed a stream I was told to cross but after that the path seemed to lead nowhere! At one point, I just gave up and decided to head back to the school to find a place to sleep until the morning. However as I headed back I found an old couple whom I told my predicament. They offered to give me their son and his relation to escort me to my uncle’s village and we went back where I had come from. We even crossed the stream and used the path I thought led nowhere! We arrived at my uncle’s village where I met Denford my cousin with his wife. The wife served me some food and thereafter I told them my mission after which it was bed-time.

In the morning, I was escorted to see Aunt Jescah whom I told about mum’s illness and the need for her to travel with me back to Zambia, She was agreeable but needed to get the blessing of the elder brother, Uncle Enock who lives in another village about two hours walk hour, One has to traverse hills and valleys to get there! Mutoko (about 200km from Harare) is nestled with hills all around and is rich in granite. Denford (my cousin mentioned earlier) did this task. During the day I remained at the village as I did not want to be adventurous and walk that distance! I met my nieces and nephew (who has since passed away on 10th March). Uncle Enock came late in the day. It was a joy to meet him and the wife. It was my first time actually, After greetings and having supper, I explained my mission to him. He and the others around were agreed that Aunty Jescah returns with me back to Zambia. Uncle Enock can speak Bemba quite well as he worked in the then Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) in the 1960s. All said and done we retired to bed so that we could be up early at about 04 00 in order to catch the bus to Harare.

Hills in Mutoko

The bus to Harare came at about 06 00, The fare is $7. Mind you Zimbabwe is officially using US dollars and South African rands for commercial transactions. As a result some things are overpriced as it is difficult to find change for items less than $1. So one would find items e.g. Eat Some More biscuits going for $1 for two. This new financial policy has somehow helped restore some sanity into the financial mess Zimbabwe had plunged to. My aunt and I arrived in Harare at about 12 00. We set about looking for accommodation. We settled for Fife Hotel for Aunt Jescah going at $20/night and Horizon Inn for myself going for $30/night. Horizon Inn is clean with self contained rooms with hot showers. Breakfast is offered. Other meals can be bought from nearby Fife Hotel (for as low as $3) or nearby takeaways. We travelled to Lusaka in the morning using an Easy Go Bus that we boarded from Roadport Bus station. This station is for international bound buses. It is a clean station that is well maintained. All passengers have to pay departure fees of $1. The bus fares from Harare to Lusaka ranges from $10 to $20. We arrived in Lusaka at 17 00 after travelling for almost 8 hours. This then was my trip to Zimbabwe (houses of stone). This is a country I’ve visited most outside my own country Zambia. But each time I have different impressions.

Central Business District

Impressions of Zimbabwe

Some of the impressions of Zimbabwe on this trip were:

1. Zimbabwe seems to be getting back on it’s feet again. Shops were full with goods, though at a dear price. The use of foreign currency appears to have helped matters, though getting it by the locals is not very easy.

2. The GNU seemed to be working, though one would not want to believe that things are smooth and easy. Either there is a lot of acting by the key men Mugabe and Tsvingirai who have been rivals or the GNU is working. Time will tell. When one looks at the GNU in Kenya, one can see signs of it cracking up.

3. In terms of infrastructure, Zimbabwe is still alright. In fact as I took a good look at the infrastructure, I wondered whether it would be convincing for nations with poorer infrastructure to donate funds to a nation like a Zimbabwe. I think Zimbabwe can have cash inflow into the economy if it comes up with favourable tourist packages. It has good hotels and lodges with prices that can fit different pockets.

4. In terms of religion, Zimbabwe like any other African nation, is a very religious nation. There is still a strong attachment to ancestral worship especially manifested during funerals (I’ll talk about this in the next blog). In terms of Christianity, there is stronger affinity to Charismatic religion.