It’s known that the current situation in Zimbabwe is nothing short of chaos. The landlocked African country has been facing civil unrest since 2019, and due to that, Zimbabwe’s economic condition has been massively affected. People have been vocal about their opinions regarding the situation and it hasn’t been received well by the government. As a result, the government has blocked dozens of websites, including popular pages like Facebook and Whatsapp. This is reason enough to talk about a VPN that works best for Zimbabwe.
Why do you need a VPN in Zimbabwe?
There are plenty of VPNs available online, and it can be hard picking out the best one for your country. Here we have compiled a list pertaining to specific features and characteristics that could be useful when selecting a VPN provider for Zimbabwe.
- Download speed – some VPNs tend to control your download speed. So if you want to watch videos without a lag, listen to some music or download files from the web, you’ll want a VPN that doesn’t slow your download speed, giving you a perfect experience on the web.
- Encryption – this feature keeps your data protected on the internet. We recommend AES-256 encryption simply because this level of security keeps hackers at bay, thereby saving you the headache of online risks.
- Logging policy – some VPNs don’t keep any logs while others store all your online activities. A VPN with a zero log policy provides you with the highest level of anonymity and doesn’t store data that could potentially cause you harm.
How to set up a VPN and use one in Zimbabwe?
Set up a VPN and follow the steps below to use one in Zimbabwe:
1. Sign up with one of the best VPNs for Zimbabwe.
2. Download and install the appropriate VPN app (or browser extension) for your browsing device.
3. Open the VPN app and connect to a server in your preferred location.
4. You can now browse securely and anonymously.
Surveillance and censorship in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe has stringent and authoritarian mechanisms to control the flow of digital information when it comes to online freedom.
One can say that the government reserves the right to block private email correspondences at will. Locals observed using malignant and untoward remarks directed towards the country and its leadership risk facing a fine of Z$200,000. Government forces, historically, have hacked into journalists’ email accounts and even arrested alleged reporters and press operatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need a VPN in Zimbabwe?
There are many reasons one needs a VPN in Zimbabwe. The recent year has raised some concern regarding online surveillance by the state, particularly by the opposition party leaders. Furthermore, ISPs in Zimbabwe are legally required to share information with the government. So a VPN is your only safe bet to protect your data and help you stay anonymous.
Can I use a free VPN in Zimbabwe?
There are plenty of free VPN providers out there. However, free VPNs defeat the purpose of using a VPN as they are pretty dangerous in the long run. They run on limited services and are mostly overcrowded with users. This, in turn, creates a problem, giving you an unstable connection and ruining your online experience.
Is using a VPN legal in Zimbabwe?
To make things clear, using a VPN isn’t illegal in Zimbabwe. There are plenty of applications that people use from time to time.