Tendai Biti, Zimbabwe’s former finance minister and now a member of the opposition, described the bond notes as a sign that the ruling Zanu-PF party is losing control of the economy.

“Perhaps the burning question of the day, is why has the regime embarked on such a bizarre reckless act,” Biti wrote in a Facebook post. “The answer is that the regime has run out of options.”

For its part, the Zimbabwe’s central bank said anxiety about the bond notes is down to a mix of ignorance and miscommunication. It admitted that it could have done a better job explaining the plan to the public, but Zimbabweans “should trust that we also know what we are doing, and that we believe that Zimbabwe needs to transform and this economy needs stimulation,” said bank governor John Mangudya.

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