Zimbabwean musician Baba Harare is currently in a public standoff with Ethiopian Airlines over lost luggage. The situation has escalated into a coordinated social media campaign by his fans, known as the “Jiti family.”
Here is everything that has happened so far, broken down simply.
What Happened?
Baba Harare returned to Harare from a UK tour in early July 2026. Upon arrival, he discovered that his checked luggage did not make it onto the plane. This was not an ordinary bag—it contained brand-new filming equipment purchased in the UK, alongside outfits for his upcoming music videos and his new album, Pedzai Navo, which is set to launch on August 1, 2026.
The Timeline of Events
The situation has moved quickly. Here is the timeline of how it has played out on social media:
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Early July 2026 – The Flight: Baba Harare flies Ethiopian Airlines, his preferred airline for the past three years. His checked bag does not arrive in Harare.
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July 16, 2026 (3:10 PM SAST) – The First Complaint: He posts a photo of an Ethiopian Airlines A350 with a detailed caption explaining the issue. He expresses that the delay is hurting his album preparation and asks fans to share the post and tag the airline. The post quickly gains over 3,800 likes and 1,000 comments.
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July 17, 2026 (Early Morning) – The Story Spreads: Gossip pages pick up the story. At 7:50 AM, a post goes viral. Shortly after, Ethiopian Airlines posts a standard travel promo, which Zimbabwean fans immediately hijack.
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July 17, 2026 (Midday) – The Mobilization: Fans begin coordinating, calling for a mass movement to flood the airline’s comment section until the bag is returned. The bag is now nicknamed the “Jiti bag” or “Koiling bag.”
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July 17, 2026 (10:56 AM SAST) – The Follow-Up (The Post You Shared): Baba Harare posts a direct warning to the airline:
“I am being told you are deleting comments from Jiti family. That’s not how you manage a complaint or a crisis. You engage the customer and make things right. Until a resolution is reached people will continue to flock your page.”
Where Does It Stand Now?
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The Bag: It is still missing. Baba Harare has noted that every day it is lost, his album shoot schedule is in jeopardy.
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The Fans: The “Jiti family” has turned into an army. They have vowed to comment on every Ethiopian Airlines post until the bag is found, even referencing past viral campaigns as their playbook. Comments include messages like “we want our jiti bag back” and “bag ngaridzoke” (“bag please”).
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The Airline: As of this post, Ethiopian Airlines has not issued a public response.
