Ink, Paper and Illusion: Are Zimbabweans Waiting for Better Notes — or Better Value?

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has announced the coming introduction of higher-quality ZiG bank notes — stronger paper, cleaner print, longer durability in circulation.

Technically, that sounds reassuring. A country’s currency should look respectable. Money carries national identity.

But across shops, kombis and WhatsApp groups, the reaction has not been excitement.

It has been a quieter question:

Will the new notes last in the wallet — or only in the pocket?

Because in Zimbabwe, durability has never been the real concern.

Value has.

Zimbabweans Don’t Hold Money — They Escape It

In most economies, money stores value.

In Zimbabwe, money stores urgency.

The moment people receive local currency, they begin calculating an exit strategy. Groceries, fuel, airtime, stock, USD conversion — anything that turns cash into something that will still matter tomorrow.

A vendor does not first ask whether the note is genuine.

They ask whether the price must change.

A commuter does not inspect security features.

They check the exchange rate.

The supermarket shelf has become a savings account with edible interest.

So when authorities promise stronger paper, the public listens for stronger purchasing power.

The Confidence Question Was Already Answered

Zimbabweans will use the currency.

But usage is not the same as trust.

Prices may be displayed in ZiG, yet calculations happen in USD. Informal traders monitor the parallel rate before accepting payment. Businesses adjust prices not only when stock changes, but when expectations change.

The economy operates with a currency it is still psychologically hedging against.

That gap — between circulation and confidence — is the real challenge.

A tougher note does not close it.

Memory Matters More Than Design

Zimbabwe has had impressive bank notes before — advanced security features, high-quality print, international standards.

It also had money that lost value faster than it aged.

That experience permanently changed how citizens judge currency.

Zimbabweans no longer evaluate money by appearance.

They evaluate it by time survived without regret.

If holding it feels risky, confidence does not exist regardless of design quality.

What People Actually Want

Not prettier money.

Not stronger money.

Predictable money.

Money that can sit in a wallet for two weeks without strategic spending.

Money that allows budgeting beyond tomorrow.

Money that does not demand immediate conversion into goods.

In stable economies, people plan purchases.

In Zimbabwe, people plan escape routes.

Until that changes, improvements in note durability sound cosmetic.

The Real Test

The success of the new ZiG notes will not be determined by texture, colour or fibre strength.

It will be determined by behaviour.

If people keep them, confidence exists.

If people rush to convert them, it does not.

Zimbabweans are not waiting to see whether the money tears.

They are waiting to see whether it keeps its promise.

Simbarashe Namusi is a peace, leadership and governance scholar as well as media expert writing in his personal capacity