There continues to be chaos in the market following the introduction of the $10 and $20 notes as well as the announcement by the ministry of finance that they will be paying civil servants an allowance in US dollars. A lot of informal and not so informal businesses are rejecting bond notes and only some are accepting Zimbabwean dollars of any kind.

Authorities have reacted with rage to these reports where business are co-opting customers to pay in USD using tricks such as charging exorbitant prices in RTGS to induce customers to pay in USD. The Zimbabwe Republic Police even threatened to throw the book and all sorts of stuff at offenders.

Even shops affiliated with authorities are doing it

Reports by various individuals indicate that even businesses linked to those in high positions in government are also shunning the bond notes. Zuva Petroleum, for example, is ridiculously demanding series 2017 or newer notes at it’s some of its service stations. An accusation they have so far chosen not to deny.

Well in this case a shop owned by the Deputy Minister of Industry Hon Raj Modi is also refusing bond notes saying they are not money according to prolific social media user and entrepreneur Kuda Musasiwa who personally witnessed an actual case of a customer being turned away.

Just buying some drinks for my In-laws at Hon. Raj Modi’s store. 1) They only takes Forex Cash 2) They turned a man who had a suitcase of bond notes sayin it’s not money!
Kuda Musasiwa on Twitter

This is by no means the first time that a business linked to the deputy minister has reportedly done something that runs counter to government policy on industry and commerce, a ministry he is the deputy minister of. In 2018, our friends at Pindula report, Hon Modi’s shops were selling liquor in USD and refusing bond despite the government’s claim that bond notes and USD were 1:1.

History has constantly shown that when presented with a “do as I say and not as I do command” people will do as you do. If a whole deputy minister’s establishment thinks it’s not money what are we supposed to think? Is a question some will probably ask.