The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has affirmed that the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency remains legal tender and will continue to strengthen its use and stability.

This statement follows comments from prominent lawyer Advocate Thabani Mpofu, who said on Monday that the ZiG lost its legal tender status on October 4, when the law that established it expired. He said:

As of October 4, 2024, the statutory instrument that introduced the ZIG currency expired without extension. Consequently, from October 5, 2024, the ZIG ceased to be a valid currency in Zimbabwe, leaving the US dollar as the sole currency.

In a belated but incompetent attempt, authorities tried to revive the ZIG through the Finance Act on Sunday, October 27, 2024 (This had been hinted on in the Friday Gazette but the Act had not been published). However, this effort was futile since the ZIG had already lost its validity.

Moreover, Section 21 of the Finance Act’s attempt to retroactively validate the ZIG is unlawful, as it contradicts Section 6 of the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Act.

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The explicit reference to the expired statutory instrument in Section 21 only reinforces this illegality in that it establishes the connection between the S.I. and the Act (A clever person would have avoided that connection).

However, in a statement issued on Monday evening, the RBZ said the ZiG was established through Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) under S.I. 60 of 2024, representing a one-time act of currency reform.

The Central Bank insisted that currency reform measures do not expire simply because the legal instrument that initiated them has lapsed. Reads the statement:

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe wishes to advise the public and all stakeholders that there is no gap at law regarding the Zimbabwe Gold currency.

The Zimbabwe Gold currency, (ZiG) was established through Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) proclaimed under S.I 60 of 2024, which constitutes a one-time act of currency reform.

Currency reform measures by their nature do not lapse simply because the instrument that introduced the reforms has lapsed.

The lapsing of the Presidential Temporary Powers that established the currency does not, therefore, create a gap in the law. Legally, currency reform measures are only revoked by another legal instrument.

Meanwhile, it should be noted that The Finance Act which has since been gazetted into law, simply declares the provisions of S.I 60 of 2024 and is not meant to validate them.

Thus, ZiG remains the country’s legal tender, and the Reserve Bank will continue to consolidate its use and stability.

Meanwhile, Corban Madzivanyika, the Member of Parliament for Mbizo and a member of the CCC, has called on the RBZ to clarify the basis for its assertion that currency reform measures can only be revoked by another legal instrument. He said:

Kindly specify the law that allows currency reform measures to remain in force even after the expiry of the Presidential powers (Temporary measure) SI 60 of 2024. Which law says currency reform measures can only be revoked by another legal instrument? Explain well to us.

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