This archive report was first published on 2 July 2019.
Getting a mobile line in Egypt is a relatively hassle-free process. All you need is to register your name with proof of identification, and for foreigners, your passport details are captured. You can then buy airtime and bundles, and you're connected to the mobile network.
The four major mobile phone service providers in Egypt are Wee, Vodafone, Orange, and Itasilai. While none of them dominate the market like Safaricom in Kenya, Vodafone is the most preferred network.
However, unlike in Kenya, you won't find traders hawking lines and airtime on the streets.
On a different note, the Confederation of African Football Director of Competitions, Samson Adamu, praised the quality of the pitches and training grounds for the 2019 Afcon in Egypt. He noted that the country has put in great work to have excellent facilities, which has contributed to the quality of the competition.
There are six match venues and 35 world-class training facilities available to the teams. The pitches have been worked on and are in great conditions, making the competition a success.
However, driving in Cairo is a different story. The mentality on the roads is that you're on your own, and most drivers do not care about putting on their seatbelts. The wide, impressive roads have speed limits of 60kph and 80kph, but drivers often ignore these limits and drive at breakneck speeds without wearing seatbelts.
On a somber note, the Confederation of African Football announced that third-round matches of the group stage of the Afcon will observe a minute of silence in honor of former DR Congo striker Pierre Ndaye Mulamba, who passed away on January 26 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Mulamba was a deadly striker who led the DRC to the 1974 African title, held in Egypt. He holds the record of most goals scored in a single Afcon, with nine goals in that wonderful 1974 campaign.
