Zimbabwe bans bulk buying as shops run empty

(Reuters) - Zimbabwe authorities ordered businesses on Thursday to stop selling basic goods in bulk to avert shortages after an official price freeze triggered a frenzied buying spree that has emptied most shop shelves.

President Robert Mugabe's government last week ordered businesses to roll back prices to June 18 levels after wild increases of up to 300 percent within a week following the plunge of the local currency on a thriving black market.


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Zim collapse accelerating - IMF

Zimbabwe's economic collapse is likely to accelerate with inflation topping 5 000% by year-end as President Robert Mugabe's government loses control of a crisis already rippling across Africa, a senior IMF official said on Sunday.

International Monetary Fund Africa Director Abdoulaye Bio-Tchane said Zimbabwe's government had shown little sign of coming to grips with its mounting economic problems, promising more hardships amid sharply rising political tensions.

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Mugabe foe sees growing defiance in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe's main opposition leader said on Monday the fight against President Robert Mugabe had reached a new level, a day after police crushed an opposition rally to prevent anti-government protests from spreading.

Heavily armed riot squads stopped the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) from holding a court-approved rally in the capital Harare on Sunday, firing teargas and water cannons at stone-throwing protesters and arresting 122 people.

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Strike while president parties

Zimbabwe's 180 000 civil servants look set to go on strike this week after they turned down a more than 250% pay rise offered by president Robert Mugabe's government, reports said on Sunday.

Civil servants, represented by the Apex Council had given the government until Friday to meet their demands for a minimum wage of Zim$450 000.

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