Kenyan President William Ruto backed the introduction of Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency during his recent official visit to Zimbabwe, emphasising its potential to boost the nation’s economic recovery.
Speaking to guests at the 64th Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo, Ruto praised Zimbabwe for introducing ZiG, a currency backed by gold and other reserves, as part of its commitment to economic regeneration.
Ruto stressed the need of using these reserves to support the value of the national currency, claiming that this change in monetary policy will have a major impact on Zimbabwe’s economic recovery.
On April 5, 2024, Zimbabwe formally unveiled its structured currency. On April 30, 2024, coins and notes would be distributed.
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Along with his wife Rachel, Ruto also lauded the tangible feeling of optimism and progress he saw in Zimbabwe during his visit, stressing the country’s forward-thinking outlook and its entry into a new age of prosperity.
Ruto acknowledged Zimbabwe’s tenacity in the face of difficulties and praised the country’s will to endure hardship in spite of outside pressures and defeats.
Separately, during Ruto’s visit to Zimbabwe, a group of Shona individuals who left Zimbabwe between 1930 and 1950 moved to Kenya came to light. After being granted citizenship by the then-president of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, in 2020, these people first made their home in Nairobi before settling in Kinoo, Kiambu County.
The Shona population effectively pushed for recognition as Kenyan nationals, citing decades of residency and cultural integration inside the nation, with the assistance of the UNHCR.
