Down Town Harare

Since we had done a couple of stories from Harare just driving round in the car there was now a limited amount we could really do. Driving to find to one of the townships on spec would have been very risky, both to ourselves and those around us so it was down to playing a waiting game for a major development. Randall & Hopkirk came around most evenings to tell us what they had done or seen as well as to sort out use of the house and driver. As it turned out they had been given one of our 'button' cameras but hadn't been able to get it to work. They brought it aroundand it round and it turned out they hadn't charged the transmitter unit. Knowing it was coming we came up with a plan to put it to good use. Basically it would involve Stuart and I walking around down town Harare to see what we would see. Simple, daring and hopefully very effective.

First though was fitting the camera - which involved cutting a button off one of my shirts, enlarging the hole slightly and then popping through the camera so it looked just like a button - to anyone who didn't have a button fetish. Not the exact same colour but near enough. Having past my peak physical prime (only just) this first involved deciding which button hole to use so the camera didn't rest on the top of my taught and honed stomach and end up facing skywards. After many tries, a little jiggle here and there together and some handy sellotape we found the perfect position to get Stuart in frame at most distances. With the cable tucked away and the transmitter down the back of my trousers - the receiver and recorder in a rucksack we set off. Thoughts about going into the lions den.... yes.... nervous... yes.... heart racing... yes...

On the way into town Stuart reminded me of the route should we have to split up and walk back. I pre-programmed a text message into my phone to 4 or 5 key people letting them know " I need a lift" i.e help - been nicked!!

Just before James dropped us off at the yellow paw (near the bottom of the map) I started the recorder and we were ready to go. We told him to wait by the DHL office for us, the red paw.



I know that no one knew I had a camera but I felt very self conscious about it - "look I've got a secret camera and if you catch me you'll think I'm a spy and I won't like that very much" was going round my head incessantly. Trying not to stand out and to draw as little attention to myself as possible, we kept on the move. Not conducive for filming so the way round this was to try and look lost and confused allowing me time to stand still. Looking one way, counting to ten, then looking another way and doing the same. Nerve racking but it worked.

Having got out of the car, immediately a very lovely and curvaceous woman came out of a shop and started walking right in front of us. No matter what you do there always seems to be a bright spot to cheer you up. At the first corner there is a Barclays Bank with the usual queue outside. We turned right and headed up the pedestrian area - sometimes with Stuart ahead and sometimes side by side. Trying to stop here and there to film groups of police or queues. A lot of both. Carrying on up the street we came to cross a road where we had to stop for traffic lights. Luckily there were about 5 coppers in riot gear standing there too. Turning my body to film them I tried not to look at them directly but keep still. One did study me more intensely - probably because not many whites came downtown any more. Thankfully the lights changed and Stuart was half way across before I started to catch him up. In terms of blending in I do love my Tilley hat but the one thing about it is its very recognizable and does stand out, so I did take it off to help blend in more! Following a meandering route we passed the High Court building, a Police Station & prison, walked right through the middle of a group of about 10 police at another junction, stopped to look at the Parliament building while an Army Officer walked past looking at me as I looked lost again.

Right about this point we started to feel a little more uncomfortable and decided to pop to the main strip again and then head back to DHL to find James. On the way back we spotted a pickup truck full of Police and went to film them - again chest pointing at them but not looking directly that way - hoping they were in frame as they were on the other side of the street. Done that we headed straight through the park and off to meet James. The long walk home. Thankfully he saw us coming, pulled round so we could jump straight in the car and headed back to the house.

As soon as we started off I couldn't help but check to see what we got. Rewinding a little and there was nothing but noise and then the odd image intermittently. No, no, no, NO. I really didn't want to do that again. Not today anyway. Going further back - more of the same. Heart falling. Starting at the beginning - it was fine. Thank God something had recorded. Checking all the way through for some reason the recorder became intermittent about half way round our walk and then would only record when I wasn't moving. Sadly we missed the walk through the middle of the police which would have been a really nice two fingers to Mugabe.

Safely back at the house - a large G & T really worked a treat.