A woman is seen behind washing at an apartment block during the 21-day nationwide lockdown aimed at limiting the spread of coronavirus in Harare, Zimbabwe, on April 6, 2020. Picture: REUTERS/PHILIMON BULAWAYO
Many citizens in Zimbabwe, which has recorded one death from nine coronavirus cases, rely on money from relatives in the diaspora, but the lockdown led to the closure of a major source of income for many desperate Zimbabweans. Central bank governor John Mangudya said in a statement on Monday that money transfer agencies would be allowed to open three times a week from Tuesday but banks are to remain closed for any other transaction. The decision is meant “to allow for the receipt of foreign currency remittances which cannot be transacted on any digital platform”.