President Emmerson Mnangagwa said new $10 and $20 banknotes will be introduced in the next “few days”, a move meant to deal with perennial cash shortages which have led to multi-tier pricing and the sale of cash on the black market.
President Mnangagwa said this during the belated anti-corruption day commemorations held this Friday.
He also revealed that since Tuesday, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), has been giving banks $30 million, up from $10-$14 million.
He added that Zimbabweans should support the local currency, just like other nations do. Citizens do not care whether their currency is strong or not, they take ownership of it, President Mnangagwa said.
Higher denomination notes is not going to solve the problem. Whether I receive $100 in $2 denominations or in $20 denominations, it will still but me only approximately 6 loaves of bread. The real issue is to ensure banks receive enough money for clients to withdraw well in excess of $100.
As for taking ownership, Mr President. It is difficult to take ownership of a currency that tells me my savings are now officially one-fifteenth their value or realistically less than one twentieth of their original value.