Toes for sale: Zimbabweans are now selling toes for R620 000 or exchange with luxury cars
Undoubtedly, Zimbabwe is topping the trends after social media was set ablaze with its toe selling sprouting business.
The unfounded story is that Zimbabweans are giving out their toes in return for hefty amounts. The social media ruse in Zimbabwe has also gained traction in Nigeria and the world. Tongue-in-cheek Zimbabwean blogs have it that the trading is happening at a local shopping centre in Harare.
It quotes WhatsApp messages with figures as high as $40,000 for a big toe which amounts to R620 000 (£31,800) offered by traditional healers in South Africa.
Due to poverty woes, several African countries have not been spared with ritual money. However, the rumour mill has it that people are being offered hefty amounts of $40 000 (R620 000) for a big toe, $25 000 for a middle toe and $10 000 for the little toe. Charlatans or fake healers tout these so-called riches and are associated with witchcraft.
Toes for sale: Zimbabweans are now selling toes for R620 000 or exchange with luxury cars
Viral memes and jokes have since flooded social media with the #Chigunwe, which means “toes” in the local Shona language. One of the most followed tabloids in Zimbabwean H-Metro shared a series of interviews with black-market currency traders at the alleged mall. The viral trend is bringing light relief in the challenging economic times.
However, many of them believe that the whole toe-selling narrative was blown out of proportion. Confirmed reports have it that thousands of people have been flocking to Ximex Mall for inquiries on how to go about when selling toes.
In several African countries, including Nigeria and Uganda, Tweeters began posting that Zimbabweans had started selling their toes for thousands of dollars. A Kenyan radio station also tweeted it, acknowledging it was an unconfirmed report, but asking their followers which body part they would be willing to sell.
The Nigerian tweet by @InnocentZikky, which was retweeted 2,668 times and garnered 4,731 likes in 18 hours, includes photos of feet with missing toes.
The BBC Disinformation Unit reviewed two videos said to be of people who had sold their toes or were selling their toes and believed they were staged.