Christopher Makaza
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) together with the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting have thrashed former finance Minister, Tendai Biti`s claims on social media that government will this week introduce a new currency, urging the public to dismiss Biti`s unfounded fake news with utmost contempt.
Biti had yesterday on his twitter page posted, “The regime will this week introduce a new Zimbabwe currency not backed by any reserves and without the context of structural reforms which a prerequisite of currency reform. That move is pure undiluted, insanity. An unbanked currency is just the bond note by another name.
“There is no country in the world that has involuntarily dollarized that has ever succeeded in de -dollarizing. Zimbabwe will not be the 1st. whilst a currency is about fundamentals; ultimately the most important fundamental is confidence. There is absolutely no trust in this regime.”
Responding to Biti, (RBZ) on its official Twitter page posted, “The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe would like to urge members of the public to dismiss, with utmost contempt, claims being circulated on social media regarding the introduction of a new Zimbabwe currency. The country shall continue to use the multi-currency system.”
Responding to the same issue, Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting tweeted, “Government has noted with concern falsehoods coming from some political quarters claiming that Zimbabwe will issue new currency next week. This needs to be dismissed with the contempt it deserves. This has no base in fact or reality. It's unfounded Fake News.”
Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube has also thrashed the claims arguing that Biti is not in Government although he is free to say whatever he wants to say and that Government had set procedures and timelines to deal with the currency matter.
“He is free to comment and say anything. He is a member of the opposition so that is always welcome. It keeps us on our toes, but we have policies, we will do it when we are ready. But we have a game plan, a roadmap and we will do it when the conditions are right,” he said.
Minister Mthuli said this yesterday while addressing the media on the sidelines of a tour of Nestle.
