Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe
FORGET flashy gadgets and designer furniture. A new national survey has revealed that mobile phones, beds, and good old farming tools like axes and hoes are the top items found in Zimbabwean homes!
The latest Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) shows that 92 percent of households own mobile phones, making them the country’s most popular possession. Coming in second are beds at 83 percent, followed by agricultural tools at 76 percent.
The survey, conducted from December 2023 to May 2024 by ZIMSTAT and the Ministry of Health and Child Care, paints a clear picture of Zimbabwe’s priorities.
“It’s phones, beds and farming gear,” the report states, highlighting how the nation’s roots in subsistence farming are still alive and kicking.
But it’s not all equal. The divide between urban and rural homes is hard to miss. City dwellers are more likely to have cars, trucks, and electrical appliances, while rural folks lead in land and livestock ownership.
Urban homes boast 22 percent car ownership compared to just seven percent in rural areas. Meanwhile, rural households dominate in farming resources, with 75 percent owning agricultural land and 74 percent keeping livestock.
Interestingly, items like solar panels and rechargeable batteries are more common in rural homes, showing how off-grid living is becoming a norm outside the cities.
So whether it’s to make a call, catch some Zzzs, or till the land, Zimbabweans know what truly matters in the home.
