INCITING RHETORIC
the purchasing of maize from command agriculture at prices that appear beyond the market and regional prices of $240/per
tonne. The government is offering $390/per tonne. Command agriculture has been viewed as rent seeking and described as “ugly
culture”.44
The implications of these economic policies are felt by the ordinary person, such as pensioners, students, women, elderly, persons
with disabilities have expressed great concerns and challenges in accessing their deposits. Citizens are spending hours in waiting
to withdraw money from the banks. The banks have reduced the withdrawal limits to $50 and $100 per day or per week depending
on the bank. ZPP conducted snap visit to banks in and around Harare and observed that depositors were spending nights and
days waiting for withdrawals only to be informed that disbursements have been exhausted. This cash crisis is affecting all banks
including mobile money payment service providers who serve a significant number of the underbanked. Opportunities for rent
seeking and trading of cash at a premium have been recorded. From interviews conducted, mobile money outlets are charging a
premium of 20% for cash transactions. While there have not been reports of any violence targeting banks or in bank queues, the
cash situation remains precarious as no respite is evident in the immediate term. Government has indicated that additional bond
notes will be printed. Earlier efforts by political parties and citizens to dissuade the government from the issuing bond notes have
failed.45
44
45
https://www.newsday.co.zw/2017/06/19/moyo-scoffs-command-ugly-culture/ (last accessed 29 August 2017), government is also commencing a command cattle of $ 300 million
http://www.enca.com/africa/mujuru-loses-bond-notes-case (last accessed 29 August 2017)
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