On Thursday armored cars patrolled the streets of Zimbabwe's capital and residents rushed to the banks after limits on cash withdrawals were lifted in the inflation-ravaged African nation.
The reserve bank of Zimbabwe had put a cap on how much money could be withdrawn from residents' bank accounts. They had capped maximum withdrawals at 500,000 Zimbabwean dollars- which is about 25 U.S. cents, and about a quarter of the price of a loaf of bread. The bank decided last week that they would raise the limit 100 million dollars ( $50 U.S.) per week.
On
Thursday, when the increase took effect, soldiers were deployed to all banks as they anticipated huge lines of people lining up to withdraw money. Police chased depositors away and arrested union leaders who planned to protest the limits.
Zimbabwe's inflation rate is the world's highest at 231 million percent. Too add on to the country's troubles, the nation is also faced with a growing outbreak of cholera that its government declared a national emergency Thursday.
More than 500 people died due to the outbreak and sickened more than 11,000, according to the the U.N. Humanitarian Affairs Office. The water-borne disease is being blamed on the lack of safe water in many parts of the country, according to to some medical professionals.
Sixty-nine people were arrested across the country during Wednesday's demonstrations according to The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions. Amnesty International has now demanded to know the whereabouts of Jestina Mukoko, a human rights activist, whom was abducted at dawn Wednesday by armed men in plainclothes posing as police.
On Monday angry, unpaid soldiers clashed with foreign currency exchangers and some civilians. This happen three days after troops who had failed to get cash from their banks looted shops they suspected to be illegally dealing in foriegn currency.
