Speaking to ZBC News, Affirmative Action Group (AAG) founder and businessman, Philip Chiyangwa has backed the bond notes despite having been quoted in private media as having criticised the introduction of the currency.
ZBC News reports that Chiyangwa said he had been misquoted, and added that bond notes are emerging as a perfect solution to problems that have been bedeviling Zimbabwe’s economy. Chiyangwa further stated the need for the public and traders to desist from the culture of holding onto hard cash so as to guard against artificial cash shortages.
NewsDay had reported that while addressing an AAG conference held in Harare recently, Chiyangwa said black businesspeople should be daring and boldly challenge the government on some of its policies for the “prosperity of the country”. He is quoted to have said:
Surely, how can you print a paper and sign it and then tell me it is money? No, no, no. We need to challenge some of these things. It’s not illegal to speak your mind out like I am doing here, even if the Vice-President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) was here, I would have told him my honest truth and others would have thought I would not sleep at my house (in fear), but let me tell you, I was going to say whatever I want and still sleep at my house.