There was drama at the National Savings and Credit Bank (NATSAVE) in Luwingu district in the Northern Province when one customer refused to receive the new rebased currency.
Musonda Bwalya of Senior Chief Shimumbi rejected the money, saying he was not conversant with the new Kwacha notes and appealed to the bank management to consider giving him the old currency.
He lamented that people in his area will not accept the new notes because the money was very little compared to the value of the old currency.
Mr Bwalya said it was surprising to note this morning that the bank had started issuing new currency without informing the community in senior Chief Shimumbi’s and other far flung areas.
The visibly annoyed Mr Bwalya said he came to withdraw money for the maize he supplied to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) last year at the value of K3,000,000 but when he received K3,000 he said the money was very little.
He said that his wife would not accept the K3,000 instead of the K3,000,000 the two budgeted for.
He said villagers in Senior Chief Shimumbi’s area are not aware about the rebasing of the currency, adding that it would be very difficult for the community to conduct business in villages as they are used to the old currency.
Mr Bwalya felt that business men and women would take advantage of the situation by stealing money from them.
Mr Bwalya, who appeared uncontrollable, appealed to the government to consider intensifying sensitization programmes before villagers are robbed of their hard-earned money.
After receiving the new currency, Mr Bwalya went round the shops, converting the new currency to the old for fear of being beaten by his wife.
The new currency started circulating this morning after the bank opened and a snap survey showed that Mr Bwalya was not alone in that predicament.
Some businessmen were also rejecting the new currency, thinking it was a fake Kwacha.
ZANIS