Internet darkness in Zimbabwe?

We don't even know what is going on in Zimbabwe anymore. Is the internet on? All of it? None of it? Some of it? Is it off in some regions but not others?

We know not all of it is working, as many Zimbabweans have reached out to us and thanked us for providing them with a means to access their favorite websites.

A court ordered access be restored, but has it been? Will it be? Will the government ignore the court order? Will the government stop detaining people simply because they oppose the Mnangagwa regime?

Protests are no excuse to shutdown the internet, violence or not. There is never an excuse to shutdown the internet.

Let's call this shutdown what it is: a power grab by President Mnangagwa as he continues to push Zimbabwe towards authoritarianism.

We're here for you, Zimbabwe, whatever happens. Get your free VPN download here, and unblock those websites.

For those of you outside of Zimbabwe, help us help them get the internet freedom they deserve. A subscription helps us keep offering free VPN to those who need it most.

It's the economy, stupid.

Startup entrepreneurs in #Cameroon could not buy supplies for 94 days due to the government's Internet shutdown - @MarkNelsonCIMA @OpenNetGlobal #DakarAssembly

— Kim Bettcher (@KimBettcher) May 9, 2018

This tweet struck us yesterday as the perfect microcosmic example of the consequences of internet shutdowns.

India is by the worst culprit in shutting down the internet, with 177 known shutdowns since 2012. African countries are doing their best to compete, with Cameroon, Ethiopia, and Chad among the guiltiest parties.

Internet shutdowns cost countries $2.4 billion USD in 2016. That's a lot of supplies not delivered, a lot of orders not taken, a lot of bills unpaid, a lot of products unused.

While a VPN can't help you when an ISP or a government completely turns off internet access, it can help when only certain websites and apps are blocked. Why not take advantage of our limited time offer of one year of unlimited VPN data for $20.18 USD?

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