Zimbabwe’s cash crisis is so severe that some banks are no longer supplying US dollars and are only dispensing South African rand, the main Movement for Democratic Change opposition party has said.

Cash shortages, a feature of Zimbabwe’s 2008 economic and political crisis, resurfaced at the beginning of March. Calling the crisis “debilitating”, the MDC said on Saturday that some banks had restricted cash withdrawals from ATMS and tellers.“Clients attempting to secure cash for day to day needs are now confronted with reduced daily limits at ATM’s and tellers in Banks,” party spokesman Obert Gutu said in a statement.

“Some Banks are unable to supply US dollars in cash and instead offer cash Rand. When they do so clients must pay for the cost of exchanging Rand for USD balances and then when they attempt to use the Rand in local markets, they find that they are offered goods at a significant premium to the USD prices.“

Significant job losses in 2015 and a slowdown in industrial activity has meant fewer people are using banks in the southern African country.

The Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC said illegal money changers had resurfaced on the streets, charging stiff premiums for anyone wanting to buy US dollars, the party charged.

“All of these developments point to an emerging cash crisis which is likely to become much worse in the next few weeks,” said Gutu.

AGRICULTURE Minister Given Lubinda accused opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema of issuing false statements to the international media that Zambia was going to run into an acute food deficit.

“Zambia currently has 594,000 metric tonnes of maize in the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) reserves and that is more than enough food for the next six months or more.” Mr Lubinda said.

He said President Lungu was misquoted by Mr Hichilema on the possible importation of maize as one of the alternatives and explained that at no time did President Lungu say importing maize was a must but that it was just one of the three alternatives if things went to the worst situation that is most unlikely to happen.

The minister said the Government was working round the clock to ensure that whoever was involved in such activities was exposed.

Zimbabwe expects a loan from the International Monetary Fund(IMF) in the third quarter of this year, the first since 1999, after paying off foreign lenders by the end of June, the central bank governor said on Wednesday.

Zimbabwe would also receive an $896 million loan from an unnamed country to pay off arrears to the World Bank. In addition, the African Export-Import Bank would provide $601 million for Harare to clear arrears to the African Development Bank (AfDB). Zimbabwe would then receive the same amount as a grant from the AfDB, Mangudya said.

The worst drought since 1992 has left 4 million Zimbabweans facing hunger and had forced the government to lower its growth target for 2016. Once Zimbabwe clears its arrears, it would be ready for rating by international ratings agencies, with a view to issue international bonds in future, said Mangudya. The government had issued $250 million in treasury bills to raise money for its operations in 2015, Mangudya said, adding that the bank would soon start holding public auctions of treasury bills to enhance transparency in state borrowing.

The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) said 16 March it had reduced Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) fees from 1,5 percent of project cost in an effort to improve the ease of doing business in Zimbabwe. In a statement, EMA said charges would now be based on a “sliding scale” with small impact projects paying a fee of $210, moderate impact projects paying 0,8 percent of project cost while high impact projects would pay one percent. Extremely high impact projects would pay 1,2 percent of the total project cost.

EMA said：“The new fee structure is aimed at boosting sustainable investment in the country as we endeavour to balance environmental, economic and social components in a growing green economy.”

The Mongu-Kalabo Road Project total work progress has reached 80% and is scheduled to complete in April 2016.

MINISTER of Foreign Affairs Harry Kalaba says the construction of the 87km Mongu-Kalabo road will enhance plans for the establishment of an oil pipeline between Zambia and Angola and promote trade between the two countries.

“This road is going all the way up to Sikongo border, meaning that we are opening up Angola and Zambia and we will have a lot of traffic. The market in Zambia is yawning, the market in Angola is yawning, and so this road interlinking the two countries is significant,” Mr Kalaba said.

The minister, who was in Mongu to officiate at the Youth Day commemoration, said the Patriotic Front (PF) administration is determined to improve infrastructure such as roads to enable youths participate in trade and economic development.