Zimbabwe prints its own version of the US dollar to ease cash shortages in the country
The branch of my local bank in Harare had ran out of notes today, so they would only dispense $100 (£80) dollars in 50 cent coins, with cashiers painstakingly counting out the coins for every customer.
The cash machines outside the bank only dispense US dollars, but by mid-morning they were empty as well.
That left me with the option to withdraw bond notes, Zimbabwe’s version of the US dollar, which were introduced last year to ease a severe cash shortage.
But there were no bond notes left either, which is how I ended up with a heavy bag of coins (see below) to lug around town!
Zimbabwe has not had its own currency since it was destroyed by hyperinflation in 2009.
Later in the afternoon, I attended a Zanu-PF party meeting, where staff gave President Robert Mugabe a late birthday 93rd present.
The stone fist (pictured above) was made by renowned stone sculptor Dominic Benhura, who got into hot water last year, after people thought that he was mocking the veteran leader with his sculpture of the president.
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