Things have been pretty busy, so apologies for not updating this blog often enough!
Since getting back from the UK, we went into a month of conferences, Farming God's Way, Reach the nation and Megavision, where we had Terry Virgo speaking. These all involved lots of communications stuff, which Sean was heading up, and some reports on Operation Joseph for me to do. So now we finally have a chance to catch up on other things!
Sean has just got back from a week in malawi, where they travelled about demonstrating farming God's way, putting in plots, and getting some video footage. He is going to be writing a report on the trip soon, so I will put that on here once it's done.
Kate is growing up so fast and has just started solid food this week. Although more ends up on the sofa and everywhere else, than in her mouth! She will be 6 months old next week.
Sean's hand continues to be a problem, with the operation seeming to have speed up the process of his fingers closing up, rather than slowing it down. He has physio 3 times a week, but it looks like further operations will be needed soon.
We have both just got back from a schools camp this weekend, where we had the leaders of the Christian Unions together, and helped them plan for the coming year.
I hope to write a proper newsletter soon, with more details, so i'll leave it there
love Debbie
More Zim news
Zimbabwe in currency devaluation
Zimbabwe has had to print new large-denomination notes to cope
Zimbabwe has devalued its currency as part of its battle to tackle its deepening economic crisis.
One US dollar now buys 30,000 Zimbabwe dollars on the official market, having previously earned 250 Zimbabwe dollars.
However dealers said that on the illegal market, $1 was buying 250,000 of the Zimbabwean currency
Latest figures put Zimbabwe's annual inflation at 7,634%. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned it could reach 100,000% by the end of the year.
Finance minister Samuel Mumbengegwi unveiled the devaluation in a budget announcement.
Other reforms included waiving taxes on some lower earners and increasing stamp and excise duties.
The devaluation announcement was described as a "move in the right direction" by former head of the National Chamber of Commerce, Luxon Zembe.
However he said that the gap between the official rate and the market rate needed to be narrowed.
Empty shelves
Zimbabwe's economic crisis has led to an estimated three million people fleeing the country for South Africa.
Unemployment stands at about 80% and there are mass shortages of fuel and foodstuffs.
Businesses were forced to freeze prices in June as President Robert Mugabe's government tried to stem inflation.
But some producers, fearing making a loss, cut production, meaning the move exacerbated shortages, leaving shop shelves empty.
Last month a new 200,000 Zimbabwe dollar note was launched, in a bid to tackle the country's inflation, the highest in the world.
The country's government has created a commission to find a way to control soaring living costs.
But correspondents say that as long as Zimbabwe has a shortage of staple foods, including maize, food shortages are likely to continue.
Critics have blamed President Mugabe's policies, especially the seizure of farms, for ordinary Zimbabweans' hardship.
For his part, President Mugabe has accused foreign governments of trying to interfere in Zimbabwe's affairs - saying some businesses had raised prices without justification as part of a Western plot to oust him.
Zimbabwe has had to print new large-denomination notes to cope
Zimbabwe has devalued its currency as part of its battle to tackle its deepening economic crisis.
One US dollar now buys 30,000 Zimbabwe dollars on the official market, having previously earned 250 Zimbabwe dollars.
However dealers said that on the illegal market, $1 was buying 250,000 of the Zimbabwean currency
Latest figures put Zimbabwe's annual inflation at 7,634%. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned it could reach 100,000% by the end of the year.
Finance minister Samuel Mumbengegwi unveiled the devaluation in a budget announcement.
Other reforms included waiving taxes on some lower earners and increasing stamp and excise duties.
The devaluation announcement was described as a "move in the right direction" by former head of the National Chamber of Commerce, Luxon Zembe.
However he said that the gap between the official rate and the market rate needed to be narrowed.
Empty shelves
Zimbabwe's economic crisis has led to an estimated three million people fleeing the country for South Africa.
Unemployment stands at about 80% and there are mass shortages of fuel and foodstuffs.
Businesses were forced to freeze prices in June as President Robert Mugabe's government tried to stem inflation.
But some producers, fearing making a loss, cut production, meaning the move exacerbated shortages, leaving shop shelves empty.
Last month a new 200,000 Zimbabwe dollar note was launched, in a bid to tackle the country's inflation, the highest in the world.
The country's government has created a commission to find a way to control soaring living costs.
But correspondents say that as long as Zimbabwe has a shortage of staple foods, including maize, food shortages are likely to continue.
Critics have blamed President Mugabe's policies, especially the seizure of farms, for ordinary Zimbabweans' hardship.
For his part, President Mugabe has accused foreign governments of trying to interfere in Zimbabwe's affairs - saying some businesses had raised prices without justification as part of a Western plot to oust him.
BBC Website Q&A on Zim
Zimbabwe has just about the worst-performing economy in the world. Some say the economic problems could soon bring down the government of President Robert Mugabe, although that has been predicted many times before.
People are struggling with soaring inflation, widespread joblessness and the exodus of millions of Zimbabweans, both to neighbouring countries and to Europe and the US.
What's going on with Zimbabwe's economy?
By any measure, Zimbabwe is in deep financial trouble.
In many stores, the shelves are nearly empty much of the time, and prices are skyrocketing for what goods remain as hyperinflation sets in.
About four out of five people are estimated to be out of work - at least as far as the official economy is concerned.
The situation is so bad that about 3,000 people a day are thought to be crossing Zimbabwe's borders into neighbouring countries.
And increasingly, many Zimbabweans are dependent on support from relatives and friends abroad to keep food on the table and roofs over their heads.
Hyperinflation - what's that?
This is what happens when the value of money plummets.
Stampedes have broken out when goods arrive at some stores
In Zimbabwe's case, the near-5,000% annual rate of inflation means that a loaf of bread bought today is about 50 times more expensive - in cash terms - than it was a year ago.
And prices are continuing to accelerate, in some cases doubling in weeks - or even, on occasion, days.
Wages, on the other hand, are nowhere near keeping up.
One correspondent recently told the BBC News website that one candle can cost twice the official government wage for a farm worker, while the price tag for a single banana is 15 times what she paid seven years ago for a four-bedroom house.
Another effect is that people simply do not hang onto money. As soon as it is earned, it must be spent - because prices will have risen sharply even by the following day.
How do people cope?
Barter is increasingly common.
So, too, is a reliance on remittances from abroad - in money but increasingly in goods. Several shopping websites now allow expatriate Zimbabweans to order food supplies to be paid for in foreign currencies and delivered to relatives at home.
Similarly, with petrol shortages endemic and prices spiralling - not to mention power cuts, often for 20 hours in the day - one enterprising firm now allows vouchers to be sent as text messages, to pay for fuel in US dollars.
Wherever possible, people exporting and importing goods do so on the black market, since a sizable slice of foreign currency exchanged at the official rate has to be kept in accounts which the government can use to feed its need for foreign exchange.
In any case, exchange rates on the unofficial or "parallel market" can be 20 times more generous than the official one of Z$15,000 to the US dollar.
How did it get to be like this?
For many people, the key cause of the current problems is Zimbabwe's land reform programme.
Most of the country's most productive farmland remained in white hands after independence in 1979, and through the 1990s the government of President Robert Mugabe worked to shift ownership.
By 1999, however, with little movement, the government unveiled plans to seize land without compensation - a process which started in earnest the following year.
Revaluations and new currency have failed to halt inflation
As hundreds of farms were taken over - sometimes by local people, often by senior government officials - production, and export, of grain and tobacco collapsed.
Huge spending on involvement in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo was also a drain on the public purse.
The result was a food crisis, and a battering for the economy as foreign exchange earnings slumped - both from farming and from tourism, amid violence surrounding the land reform programme.
What is the government saying - and doing?
As far as President Mugabe and his ministers are concerned, land reform has nothing to do with the country's economic travails.
Instead, sabotage by the West in general, and the UK - the former colonial power - in particular, is responsible.
They point to sanctions imposed against the country - although these are aimed at leaders, rather than at the economy as a whole.
And the government has also taken a string of measures intended to stem the country's decline.
Among them have been limits on foreign currency movements, a revaluation of the Zimbabwe dollar, the introduction of vouchers instead of banknotes, and - most recently - the imposition of stringent price controls.
Cuts of as much as 50% on many commodities are now required by law, and thousands of businesspeople have been arrested for pricing goods at levels it sees as amounting to profiteering.
Meanwhile, the government is planning to "indigenise" foreign-owned businesses by making sure black Zimbabweans have majority control.
And Mr Mugabe is also promising to print even more money, should government projects require it.
Is any of this working?
President Mugabe blames foreign sabotage for Zimbabwe's ills
No.
The hyperinflation affects raw materials and wages as well as retail prices, after all.
So businesses argue that at the prices the government demands, they simply cannot afford to make or buy the goods in the first place.
The result, Zimbabweans report, is hoarding of what goods remain; stampedes whenever a shop acquires a much-needed staple like cooking oil or maize meal; and further hardship.
And the import restrictions may make things worse, since the collapse of domestic output means goods brought across the border are often the only thing on the shelves.
Printing even more money, meanwhile, will simply add to the hyperinflation.
Some analysts say the situation will lead to a complete collapse of the economy and the government by the end of the year but each time people have said in the past that things couldn't get any worse, they have.
So is anyone gaining from this?
A few businesses are making huge profits from the black market - for example those with good connections who can buy hard currency at the official rate and sell it to those who need it at a far higher price.
The Zimbabwe Stock Exchange has also been roaring ahead - it has been one of the best-performing in the world in recent years.
As the government prints money, and interest rates have failed to keep up with the rampant inflation, assets such as stocks have been one of the few places where Zimbabweans have been able to put their money so as to retain its value.
The result: share prices increasing even faster than retail price inflation.
Meanwhile, many South African shops are experiencing their own mini-boom.
As goods become ever scarcer, Zimbabweans are flocking across the frontier to stock up - and not only to stores in towns near the border.
And many of the million or more Zimbabweans already in South Africa are similarly buying up staples to send home.
People are struggling with soaring inflation, widespread joblessness and the exodus of millions of Zimbabweans, both to neighbouring countries and to Europe and the US.
What's going on with Zimbabwe's economy?
By any measure, Zimbabwe is in deep financial trouble.
In many stores, the shelves are nearly empty much of the time, and prices are skyrocketing for what goods remain as hyperinflation sets in.
About four out of five people are estimated to be out of work - at least as far as the official economy is concerned.
The situation is so bad that about 3,000 people a day are thought to be crossing Zimbabwe's borders into neighbouring countries.
And increasingly, many Zimbabweans are dependent on support from relatives and friends abroad to keep food on the table and roofs over their heads.
Hyperinflation - what's that?
This is what happens when the value of money plummets.
Stampedes have broken out when goods arrive at some stores
In Zimbabwe's case, the near-5,000% annual rate of inflation means that a loaf of bread bought today is about 50 times more expensive - in cash terms - than it was a year ago.
And prices are continuing to accelerate, in some cases doubling in weeks - or even, on occasion, days.
Wages, on the other hand, are nowhere near keeping up.
One correspondent recently told the BBC News website that one candle can cost twice the official government wage for a farm worker, while the price tag for a single banana is 15 times what she paid seven years ago for a four-bedroom house.
Another effect is that people simply do not hang onto money. As soon as it is earned, it must be spent - because prices will have risen sharply even by the following day.
How do people cope?
Barter is increasingly common.
So, too, is a reliance on remittances from abroad - in money but increasingly in goods. Several shopping websites now allow expatriate Zimbabweans to order food supplies to be paid for in foreign currencies and delivered to relatives at home.
Similarly, with petrol shortages endemic and prices spiralling - not to mention power cuts, often for 20 hours in the day - one enterprising firm now allows vouchers to be sent as text messages, to pay for fuel in US dollars.
Wherever possible, people exporting and importing goods do so on the black market, since a sizable slice of foreign currency exchanged at the official rate has to be kept in accounts which the government can use to feed its need for foreign exchange.
In any case, exchange rates on the unofficial or "parallel market" can be 20 times more generous than the official one of Z$15,000 to the US dollar.
How did it get to be like this?
For many people, the key cause of the current problems is Zimbabwe's land reform programme.
Most of the country's most productive farmland remained in white hands after independence in 1979, and through the 1990s the government of President Robert Mugabe worked to shift ownership.
By 1999, however, with little movement, the government unveiled plans to seize land without compensation - a process which started in earnest the following year.
Revaluations and new currency have failed to halt inflation
As hundreds of farms were taken over - sometimes by local people, often by senior government officials - production, and export, of grain and tobacco collapsed.
Huge spending on involvement in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo was also a drain on the public purse.
The result was a food crisis, and a battering for the economy as foreign exchange earnings slumped - both from farming and from tourism, amid violence surrounding the land reform programme.
What is the government saying - and doing?
As far as President Mugabe and his ministers are concerned, land reform has nothing to do with the country's economic travails.
Instead, sabotage by the West in general, and the UK - the former colonial power - in particular, is responsible.
They point to sanctions imposed against the country - although these are aimed at leaders, rather than at the economy as a whole.
And the government has also taken a string of measures intended to stem the country's decline.
Among them have been limits on foreign currency movements, a revaluation of the Zimbabwe dollar, the introduction of vouchers instead of banknotes, and - most recently - the imposition of stringent price controls.
Cuts of as much as 50% on many commodities are now required by law, and thousands of businesspeople have been arrested for pricing goods at levels it sees as amounting to profiteering.
Meanwhile, the government is planning to "indigenise" foreign-owned businesses by making sure black Zimbabweans have majority control.
And Mr Mugabe is also promising to print even more money, should government projects require it.
Is any of this working?
President Mugabe blames foreign sabotage for Zimbabwe's ills
No.
The hyperinflation affects raw materials and wages as well as retail prices, after all.
So businesses argue that at the prices the government demands, they simply cannot afford to make or buy the goods in the first place.
The result, Zimbabweans report, is hoarding of what goods remain; stampedes whenever a shop acquires a much-needed staple like cooking oil or maize meal; and further hardship.
And the import restrictions may make things worse, since the collapse of domestic output means goods brought across the border are often the only thing on the shelves.
Printing even more money, meanwhile, will simply add to the hyperinflation.
Some analysts say the situation will lead to a complete collapse of the economy and the government by the end of the year but each time people have said in the past that things couldn't get any worse, they have.
So is anyone gaining from this?
A few businesses are making huge profits from the black market - for example those with good connections who can buy hard currency at the official rate and sell it to those who need it at a far higher price.
The Zimbabwe Stock Exchange has also been roaring ahead - it has been one of the best-performing in the world in recent years.
As the government prints money, and interest rates have failed to keep up with the rampant inflation, assets such as stocks have been one of the few places where Zimbabweans have been able to put their money so as to retain its value.
The result: share prices increasing even faster than retail price inflation.
Meanwhile, many South African shops are experiencing their own mini-boom.
As goods become ever scarcer, Zimbabweans are flocking across the frontier to stock up - and not only to stores in towns near the border.
And many of the million or more Zimbabweans already in South Africa are similarly buying up staples to send home.
Zim news article - July
Zimbabwe has 80% unemployment and the world's highest inflation
A barefoot woman in Zimbabwe with a supermarket basket at her feet, toes squeezing the wires to prevent anyone grabbing it, was throwing pots of half-price moisturising cream into it as fast as she could.
Around her desperate shoppers at the Harare supermarket, with trolleys piled high, were lunging at shelves, fighting, shouting to get to products that had suddenly been cut by 50%.
"The staff had all evacuated apart from the till operators. At the back, even the storeroom doors were wide open and the place had been ransacked - there was nothing left, nothing on pallets," a bystander said.
This chaotic scene has been repeated across the capital in the last week following an order by the authorities that the prices of basic goods be halved.
It was mayhem... the riot police had to come because the tills hadn't the chance to sort out the pricing
Eyewitness
With inflation at officially more than 3,700% (some economists put it as high as 9,000%), supermarkets are unwilling to comply, so a price-control unit has been trying to enforce it with instant inspections.
On Sunday, the unit arrived at 0800 at a Bon Marche store in Harare, and gave the staff a list of goods whose prices had to be cut by 50%, including most Nestle products.
"I swear at 0830 (0730 GMT) there were droves of people running, not walking, running to the supermarket through the mall," an eyewitness, who asked to remain anonymous, told the BBC News website.
"It was mayhem in there. By 1030 the riot police had to come and sort it out because the tills hadn't had the chance to sort out the pricing."
Hoarding
She described how people with packed trolleys were accusing each other of hoarding.
They don't make bread because it's a controlled price... they add a few currants or change the shape of it - then it'll be classed as fancy bread - and they can charge what they like
Harare accountant
"I'm going to report you. You should share," one person shouted.
"I will share with you, if you give me half your chicken," the other retorted.
A 25 litre drum of cooking oil was reportedly cut by the officials from 15m Zimbabwe dollars to Z$3m.
"There weren't enough trolleys so people were going to the plastic-ware section and got buckets to carry the stuff in," the eyewitness explained.
When the police arrived, they ordered everyone out of the shop, and then allowed 20 people in at a time.
"But at that stage time was ticking and the doors closed at 2pm, so there was a commotion like you wouldn't believe outside - swearing and shouting," she said.
The next morning, scared shop assistants and managers wore plain clothes to work and began the massive clear up - returning the items piled in trolleys that were abandoned when the police arrived.
However, the prices were back to normal - no bargains were to be found.
Arrests
News of the price cuts have led some people to rush into town, only to discover that the supermarkets they heard about are no longer discounting.
Many workers are unable to afford to get buses to work
According to state media, at least 20 businessmen have been arrested in the ongoing crackdown.
Among them was the manager of a TM supermarket branch in Harare, detained on Sunday morning when he asked price-control officials, who had arrived at the shop, to give him an hour to re-programme the tills.
He was immediately handcuffed and taken into police custody.
An accountant in the capital told the BBC News website that sometimes inspectors force shopkeepers to cut the price of just one product.
"You'll be standing in the shop, when suddenly the price for something will go down - there'll be a mad dash, a free-for-all, and it'll all be gone within seconds," she said.
Smaller shops are suffering the most in the crackdown.
"A lot of the butchers are closing down because they've been told they've got to sell below cost," she says.
Meanwhile, buyers are reluctant to restock in case they are forced to slash prices again and this had led to some shortages.
Some people are profiteering
Harare accountant
"There're shortages of bread because now. They don't make bread because it's a controlled price. The bakeries make buns or something with a few currants in or change the shape of it - then it'll be classed as fancy bread - and they can charge what they like," the accountant said.
A Harare resident said she had been looking for eggs and milk since Thursday and another told the BBC there were rumours that goods were being moved from warehouses to residential houses to hide them from inspectors.
'Half-price war'
Petrol queues have formed again as garages are confused about what price to sell at.
A couple of fuel pumps opened on Monday night selling at Z$140,000 (just over $1 on the black market; $560 at the official rate), down from Z$200,000.
Mr Mugabe has said price hikes are unjustified
One family contacted by the BBC, who was cooking supper outside over a fire because of the now daily electricity cuts, said the fuel prices had not been reflected in lower transport fares.
The "half-price war" is not limited to basic products. Mobile phone companies have also been threatened, and Econet top-up cards were nowhere to be found in Harare on Monday.
Earlier this year, President Robert Mugabe blamed "unbridled greed" for the country's economic woes.
"Some people are profiteering," agreed the accountant, "but there must be a more logical way of tackling it. Asking to see invoices and working out the profit, perhaps."
Businessmen complain that it is a full-time job trying to keep abreast of new regulations that change daily.
Because of the chronic shortage of cash, employers have been told to pay staff who earn over Z$1m a month (a subsistence wage) by cheque, which means people have to open up bank accounts.
This is proving difficult as many do not have the correct identification documents and will face bank charges that shrink their meagre earnings still further.
No cheques of Z$50m or above ($416 on the black market) are acknowledged by the banks and there are limits on the amount of cheques that can be drawn each day.
When the ATM machines work, only Z$3m ($21) can be withdrawn.
It seems beating rampant inflation will prove a long-fought battle.
This report was compiled by the BBC's Lucy Fleming from the accounts of several Harare residents.
A barefoot woman in Zimbabwe with a supermarket basket at her feet, toes squeezing the wires to prevent anyone grabbing it, was throwing pots of half-price moisturising cream into it as fast as she could.
Around her desperate shoppers at the Harare supermarket, with trolleys piled high, were lunging at shelves, fighting, shouting to get to products that had suddenly been cut by 50%.
"The staff had all evacuated apart from the till operators. At the back, even the storeroom doors were wide open and the place had been ransacked - there was nothing left, nothing on pallets," a bystander said.
This chaotic scene has been repeated across the capital in the last week following an order by the authorities that the prices of basic goods be halved.
It was mayhem... the riot police had to come because the tills hadn't the chance to sort out the pricing
Eyewitness
With inflation at officially more than 3,700% (some economists put it as high as 9,000%), supermarkets are unwilling to comply, so a price-control unit has been trying to enforce it with instant inspections.
On Sunday, the unit arrived at 0800 at a Bon Marche store in Harare, and gave the staff a list of goods whose prices had to be cut by 50%, including most Nestle products.
"I swear at 0830 (0730 GMT) there were droves of people running, not walking, running to the supermarket through the mall," an eyewitness, who asked to remain anonymous, told the BBC News website.
"It was mayhem in there. By 1030 the riot police had to come and sort it out because the tills hadn't had the chance to sort out the pricing."
Hoarding
She described how people with packed trolleys were accusing each other of hoarding.
They don't make bread because it's a controlled price... they add a few currants or change the shape of it - then it'll be classed as fancy bread - and they can charge what they like
Harare accountant
"I'm going to report you. You should share," one person shouted.
"I will share with you, if you give me half your chicken," the other retorted.
A 25 litre drum of cooking oil was reportedly cut by the officials from 15m Zimbabwe dollars to Z$3m.
"There weren't enough trolleys so people were going to the plastic-ware section and got buckets to carry the stuff in," the eyewitness explained.
When the police arrived, they ordered everyone out of the shop, and then allowed 20 people in at a time.
"But at that stage time was ticking and the doors closed at 2pm, so there was a commotion like you wouldn't believe outside - swearing and shouting," she said.
The next morning, scared shop assistants and managers wore plain clothes to work and began the massive clear up - returning the items piled in trolleys that were abandoned when the police arrived.
However, the prices were back to normal - no bargains were to be found.
Arrests
News of the price cuts have led some people to rush into town, only to discover that the supermarkets they heard about are no longer discounting.
Many workers are unable to afford to get buses to work
According to state media, at least 20 businessmen have been arrested in the ongoing crackdown.
Among them was the manager of a TM supermarket branch in Harare, detained on Sunday morning when he asked price-control officials, who had arrived at the shop, to give him an hour to re-programme the tills.
He was immediately handcuffed and taken into police custody.
An accountant in the capital told the BBC News website that sometimes inspectors force shopkeepers to cut the price of just one product.
"You'll be standing in the shop, when suddenly the price for something will go down - there'll be a mad dash, a free-for-all, and it'll all be gone within seconds," she said.
Smaller shops are suffering the most in the crackdown.
"A lot of the butchers are closing down because they've been told they've got to sell below cost," she says.
Meanwhile, buyers are reluctant to restock in case they are forced to slash prices again and this had led to some shortages.
Some people are profiteering
Harare accountant
"There're shortages of bread because now. They don't make bread because it's a controlled price. The bakeries make buns or something with a few currants in or change the shape of it - then it'll be classed as fancy bread - and they can charge what they like," the accountant said.
A Harare resident said she had been looking for eggs and milk since Thursday and another told the BBC there were rumours that goods were being moved from warehouses to residential houses to hide them from inspectors.
'Half-price war'
Petrol queues have formed again as garages are confused about what price to sell at.
A couple of fuel pumps opened on Monday night selling at Z$140,000 (just over $1 on the black market; $560 at the official rate), down from Z$200,000.
Mr Mugabe has said price hikes are unjustified
One family contacted by the BBC, who was cooking supper outside over a fire because of the now daily electricity cuts, said the fuel prices had not been reflected in lower transport fares.
The "half-price war" is not limited to basic products. Mobile phone companies have also been threatened, and Econet top-up cards were nowhere to be found in Harare on Monday.
Earlier this year, President Robert Mugabe blamed "unbridled greed" for the country's economic woes.
"Some people are profiteering," agreed the accountant, "but there must be a more logical way of tackling it. Asking to see invoices and working out the profit, perhaps."
Businessmen complain that it is a full-time job trying to keep abreast of new regulations that change daily.
Because of the chronic shortage of cash, employers have been told to pay staff who earn over Z$1m a month (a subsistence wage) by cheque, which means people have to open up bank accounts.
This is proving difficult as many do not have the correct identification documents and will face bank charges that shrink their meagre earnings still further.
No cheques of Z$50m or above ($416 on the black market) are acknowledged by the banks and there are limits on the amount of cheques that can be drawn each day.
When the ATM machines work, only Z$3m ($21) can be withdrawn.
It seems beating rampant inflation will prove a long-fought battle.
This report was compiled by the BBC's Lucy Fleming from the accounts of several Harare residents.
News update July 2007
A quick update on life in Zim.
We have just returned from a month in the UK to find the situation here has deteriorated further. As a result of the government forcing shops to sell their goods at cheaper prices, many businesses have closed down, and those that haven’t are not putting anything on the shelves so that they do not loose money. Just some of the things that are short at the moment are bread, milk, sugar, meat, cooking oil and toilet rolls!
On top of this fuel, electricity and phone networks continue to be major problems. We arrived home on Monday to find there was no electricity, and this continued until Thursday, with the power only coming back at night. We are more fortunate than most as we do not have water cuts only reduced water pressure, but this is a daily reality for many.
As a result of all of this we were glad to leave Zimbabwe for a month to have a bit of break from it all, but we are now refreshed and ready to get back into the swing of things. Our trip was mostly to attend Debbie’s brother’s wedding and for Sean to have an operation on his hand. However, we also managed to see quite a few friends and family, and Sean spent quite a lot of time in Brighton, learning from others how best to communicate the initiatives we are involved in to churches, donors and the people who can benefit from them.
Sean’s operation went well, there was a high chance he could loose his finger, but fortunately they managed to keep it. He now has a pin in his finger, that has to be removed in a couple of weeks time, which will have to be done in the UK as there is no one who can perform the procedure here.
Kate is doing well, and is already 3 months old! She sleeps through the night, and is generally pretty laid back, which is a great blessing.
Debbie will be returning to work this week, after 3 months on maternity leave, but will be working from home and remaining part time so she will be able to look after Kate as well.
Sean is finding work pretty frustrating at the moment only having his left hand in action, this week has been concentrating on sourcing fuel and cash for the projects, which seems to take up more and more of his time, but is vital for the projects to continue!
Last month was the end of the harvesting season, so a team of volunteers have been out to visit the farmers who are part of our Operation Joseph programme so see how they have done this season, and compare their yields with those who used traditional methods of farming, I hope to be able let you know soon, as we are currently still analysing the data. Predictions by the major aid organisations are saying that the country has only produced 500,000 tonnes of maize, compared to the 2 million that is needed to feed the whole country.
Coming up:
August
– In UK for further treatment on Sean’s hand
- Site visits for Operation Joseph and CEDAR
September
- Reach the Nation Conference
- Megavision conference
dates we are in the UK
We will be in the UK from the 22nd June to the 22nd July, and would love to see as many friends as possible! If you are in any of the places below at the same time as us please let us know!
These are our provisional plans so far:
22nd June
Arrive
Ian's birthday party - London pm
23rd - 30th in Enfield
28th June
Sean Dr in London
1st July - 6th July
Mullens family holiday
7th July
Bristol
9th July
Sean Dr in London
10th - 13th July
Sean @ New frontiers Conference - Brighton
14th July
David and Rachels wedding - Enfield
17th-19th July
Sean video training - London
20th July
Haselemere
21st July
Southampton
22nd July
Oxford
Depart for Harare
Kate has arrived!
Kate Elizabeth Mullens arrived on the 1st of May at 6.15am in Harare, weighing 3.1kg (6.8lb).
More photos to follow!
BBC news article on Zim
Zimbabwe strike 'poorly observed'
It was not the mass stay-away union leaders had wanted
A two-day strike called by Zimbabwe's trade unions in protest against the country's worsening economic crisis has been poorly observed on its first day.
The capital was slightly quieter than usual, but many shops and offices were open in the capital, Harare.
Correspondents say few people can afford to lose even a day's pay.
President Robert Mugabe had condemned the stoppage as part of a plot by the opposition to oust him and promised tough action against any open protests.
More than 80% of Zimbabweans live in poverty and inflation is running at more than 1,700% - the highest in the world.
The BBC's Peter Greste says with inflation so high and four out of five workers without a job, there is plenty to complain about, but opponents of President Mugabe are both broke and scared.
Images of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who was savagely beaten the last time anyone tried to mount a protest, are still fresh in the minds of many Zimbabweans, our correspondent adds.
In anticipation of the strike, military helicopters were deployed over Harare on Tuesday while riot police patrolled the city centre.Zimbabwe's main trade union, the Congress of Trades Unions (ZCTU), said that given the level of intimidation the stoppage had been a success.
However, the government described the first day of the general strike as a flop.
"It was a dismal failure, not just a failure but a dismal failure... because people are going about their work freely as if there was no call for a stay-away," said Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu.
Zimbabwe's trade union movement said it called the general strike over the government's failure to respond to the economic meltdown and was pushing for wage rises.
"This ... is the only solution to make sure that the authorities should come back to the negotiating table," ZCTU president Lovemore Matombo said. "We are quite aware of what the government is likely to do."
A clothing factory worker in Harare told Reuters news agency that workers feared losing their jobs if they went on strike.
"I understand what the ZCTU is trying to do for us ... but things are so hard I cannot afford to lose this job, and although I get very little, I cannot afford to get nothing at all," Dickson Mapara said.
Meanwhile, South African President Thabo Mbeki says he wants to promote a compromise between rival factions in Zimbabwe but would not push for regime change.
Mr Mbeki said he would not cut power supplies to Zimbabwe
Mr Mbeki told the UK's Financial Times that there was no big stick available to change the government in Harare but there was a need to tackle Zimbabwe's elections.
"We have to get the Zimbabweans talking so we do have elections that are free and fair," he said.
Southern African leaders last week appointed Mr Mbeki to mediate between Mr Mugabe and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.
On Saturday, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai said nine members of his party had been badly beaten up in custody after being arrested.
Last week, Zanu-PF announced that Mr Mugabe would be its candidate in next year's election, letting the president stay in power until 2013, when he would be nearly 90.
It was not the mass stay-away union leaders had wanted
A two-day strike called by Zimbabwe's trade unions in protest against the country's worsening economic crisis has been poorly observed on its first day.
The capital was slightly quieter than usual, but many shops and offices were open in the capital, Harare.
Correspondents say few people can afford to lose even a day's pay.
President Robert Mugabe had condemned the stoppage as part of a plot by the opposition to oust him and promised tough action against any open protests.
More than 80% of Zimbabweans live in poverty and inflation is running at more than 1,700% - the highest in the world.
The BBC's Peter Greste says with inflation so high and four out of five workers without a job, there is plenty to complain about, but opponents of President Mugabe are both broke and scared.
Images of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who was savagely beaten the last time anyone tried to mount a protest, are still fresh in the minds of many Zimbabweans, our correspondent adds.
In anticipation of the strike, military helicopters were deployed over Harare on Tuesday while riot police patrolled the city centre.Zimbabwe's main trade union, the Congress of Trades Unions (ZCTU), said that given the level of intimidation the stoppage had been a success.
However, the government described the first day of the general strike as a flop.
"It was a dismal failure, not just a failure but a dismal failure... because people are going about their work freely as if there was no call for a stay-away," said Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu.
Zimbabwe's trade union movement said it called the general strike over the government's failure to respond to the economic meltdown and was pushing for wage rises.
"This ... is the only solution to make sure that the authorities should come back to the negotiating table," ZCTU president Lovemore Matombo said. "We are quite aware of what the government is likely to do."
A clothing factory worker in Harare told Reuters news agency that workers feared losing their jobs if they went on strike.
"I understand what the ZCTU is trying to do for us ... but things are so hard I cannot afford to lose this job, and although I get very little, I cannot afford to get nothing at all," Dickson Mapara said.
Meanwhile, South African President Thabo Mbeki says he wants to promote a compromise between rival factions in Zimbabwe but would not push for regime change.
Mr Mbeki said he would not cut power supplies to Zimbabwe
Mr Mbeki told the UK's Financial Times that there was no big stick available to change the government in Harare but there was a need to tackle Zimbabwe's elections.
"We have to get the Zimbabweans talking so we do have elections that are free and fair," he said.
Southern African leaders last week appointed Mr Mbeki to mediate between Mr Mugabe and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.
On Saturday, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai said nine members of his party had been badly beaten up in custody after being arrested.
Last week, Zanu-PF announced that Mr Mugabe would be its candidate in next year's election, letting the president stay in power until 2013, when he would be nearly 90.
BBC News article on Zim
Q&A: Zimbabwe meltdown
President Mugabe blames Zimbabwe's problems on the west
Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has been in hospital since he was beaten up whilst in police custody after trying to address a rally.
After 27 years in power and despite an economic meltdown, President Robert Mugabe say he wants to contest elections due next year.
What is life like in Zimbabwe?
Pretty terrible for most people. Many factories and other employers have closed as the economy has gone from bad to worse.
Most of the population is trying to feed itself by growing food but the rains have not been good and hundreds of thousands are going hungry.
Prices are rising by the day. Zimbabwe's annual inflation rate is 1,700% - the highest in the world.
Basic items such as bread, sugar, petrol are often not available in local shops.
What prompted the crisis?
Just about the only thing that all sides agree on in Zimbabwe is that land is at the heart of the problems.
The opposition says that Mr Mugabe's seizure of most white-owned farms since 2000 has wrecked what was once one of Africa's most developed economies.
Mr Mugabe says the redistribution was needed to make land ownership more equitable following the colonial era.
He says that western powers have sabotaged Zimbabwe's economy because they want to drive him from power.
So is Mr Mugabe in trouble?
Some say it could be the beginning of the end - but that has been said many times in recent years.
Mr Tsvangirai has been arrested several times
It is possible that Mr Mugabe's position has been weakened by his bid to stay on - those in his Zanu-PF party who wish to succeed him may be getting impatient.
His original plan was to change the constitution to postpone elections until 2010 but this idea was last December blocked by his party - a rare event.
Equally, some say the collapse in living standards is now affecting the soldiers and police officers who have been the bedrock of his support.
If they refused to carry out orders to fire at protesters, the fear factor would be removed, boosting the opposition campaign against him.
But Zimbabwe's economy has been in decline for several years - it is difficult to predict when the tipping point will come.
What about the opposition?
Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change was formed in 1999 to oust Mr Mugabe but has so far failed to achieve that goal.
They complain that elections have been rigged and their activists beaten and even killed but from a political point of view, Mr Mugabe seems to have outsmarted them so far.
Two years ago, it split into two factions, making Mr Mugabe's life much easier.
The two factions have recently showed signs of coming together.
That could be why the police took such tough action to break up the rally and arrest Mr Tsvangirai and several of his colleagues.
What is the international community doing?
Following disputed elections, the US and the EU imposed targeted sanctions on Mr Mugabe and his close associates - they are banned from travelling and any assets they hold have been seized.
But African countries have been reluctant to openly criticise Mr Mugabe, who is widely respected as a hero of the fight against colonial rule.
Despite strong pressure, Zimbabwe's big neighbour, South Africa, has been reluctant to get involved, instead pursuing a policy they call "quiet diplomacy".
However, the government is understood to be particularly alarmed at plans to delay elections until 2010 - as this would coincide with South Africa's hosting of the World Cup.
Mr Mugabe has also moved closer to China, which is happy to continue business ties without lecturing about human rights and democracy.
Would Mugabe agree to step down?
He would have little choice if the Zanu-PF leadership united to tell him it would be better if he left - the party is not a one-man show.
But he may be worried about a possible prosecution if he was no longer head of state.
Mr Tsvangirai has repeatedly promised that Mr Mugabe would enjoy an "honourable exit" as the founding father of Zimbabwe.
But some of those who have suffered at the hands of his security agents would no doubt be tempted to take him to court.
One option may be for him to got to exile in Angola or Namibia, which have always remained his close allies.
President Mugabe blames Zimbabwe's problems on the west
Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has been in hospital since he was beaten up whilst in police custody after trying to address a rally.
After 27 years in power and despite an economic meltdown, President Robert Mugabe say he wants to contest elections due next year.
What is life like in Zimbabwe?
Pretty terrible for most people. Many factories and other employers have closed as the economy has gone from bad to worse.
Most of the population is trying to feed itself by growing food but the rains have not been good and hundreds of thousands are going hungry.
Prices are rising by the day. Zimbabwe's annual inflation rate is 1,700% - the highest in the world.
Basic items such as bread, sugar, petrol are often not available in local shops.
What prompted the crisis?
Just about the only thing that all sides agree on in Zimbabwe is that land is at the heart of the problems.
The opposition says that Mr Mugabe's seizure of most white-owned farms since 2000 has wrecked what was once one of Africa's most developed economies.
Mr Mugabe says the redistribution was needed to make land ownership more equitable following the colonial era.
He says that western powers have sabotaged Zimbabwe's economy because they want to drive him from power.
So is Mr Mugabe in trouble?
Some say it could be the beginning of the end - but that has been said many times in recent years.
Mr Tsvangirai has been arrested several times
It is possible that Mr Mugabe's position has been weakened by his bid to stay on - those in his Zanu-PF party who wish to succeed him may be getting impatient.
His original plan was to change the constitution to postpone elections until 2010 but this idea was last December blocked by his party - a rare event.
Equally, some say the collapse in living standards is now affecting the soldiers and police officers who have been the bedrock of his support.
If they refused to carry out orders to fire at protesters, the fear factor would be removed, boosting the opposition campaign against him.
But Zimbabwe's economy has been in decline for several years - it is difficult to predict when the tipping point will come.
What about the opposition?
Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change was formed in 1999 to oust Mr Mugabe but has so far failed to achieve that goal.
They complain that elections have been rigged and their activists beaten and even killed but from a political point of view, Mr Mugabe seems to have outsmarted them so far.
Two years ago, it split into two factions, making Mr Mugabe's life much easier.
The two factions have recently showed signs of coming together.
That could be why the police took such tough action to break up the rally and arrest Mr Tsvangirai and several of his colleagues.
What is the international community doing?
Following disputed elections, the US and the EU imposed targeted sanctions on Mr Mugabe and his close associates - they are banned from travelling and any assets they hold have been seized.
But African countries have been reluctant to openly criticise Mr Mugabe, who is widely respected as a hero of the fight against colonial rule.
Despite strong pressure, Zimbabwe's big neighbour, South Africa, has been reluctant to get involved, instead pursuing a policy they call "quiet diplomacy".
However, the government is understood to be particularly alarmed at plans to delay elections until 2010 - as this would coincide with South Africa's hosting of the World Cup.
Mr Mugabe has also moved closer to China, which is happy to continue business ties without lecturing about human rights and democracy.
Would Mugabe agree to step down?
He would have little choice if the Zanu-PF leadership united to tell him it would be better if he left - the party is not a one-man show.
But he may be worried about a possible prosecution if he was no longer head of state.
Mr Tsvangirai has repeatedly promised that Mr Mugabe would enjoy an "honourable exit" as the founding father of Zimbabwe.
But some of those who have suffered at the hands of his security agents would no doubt be tempted to take him to court.
One option may be for him to got to exile in Angola or Namibia, which have always remained his close allies.
March news update
We hope you are well and that the weather in the UK is starting to improve by now.
We thought we’d send another update of what is happening here in Zim and what we have been up to.
Situation in Zimbabwe
The economic situation is going rapidly downhill with inflation going crazy and expected to reach 2000% soon. In February prices of many basic goods went up by 300%. For example, just this weekend petrol was $12,000 a litre, and then 4 days later we had to pay $24,000 a litre.
After a relatively quiet period politically things seem to be gaining momentum again in preparation for the 2008 elections. Violence broke out in a couple of the high-density suburbs a few weeks ago when rallies for the opposition was prevented from taking place by the police, even though they had obtained permission to hold it from the High court. More recently curfews have been put in place in the high density suburbs, and we have just heard that the leaders of the opposition parties have been severely beaten by police, but we heard that that has been in the news over there.
CEDAR
Our work with Operation Joseph and CEDAR continues to go well and be very busy. At CEDAR (HIV/AIDS project) we are in the process of introducing a more practical element to the programme to compliment the ongoing home based care and counselling that is currently provided. At the last count we had 2061 families receiving weekly help from volunteers. ARV’s are expensive and not readily available to the average family, so we have introduced herbs to treat the symptoms of AIDS, increase nutrition and boost the immune system. We are still in the early stages of developing this further but testimony’s that have come back so far have been very positive. The families are able to grow herbs easily in their gardens and they are cheap to buy and can be propagated so are sustainable for the long-term.
Operation Joseph
We recently went on a site visit to Murehwa to visit Operation Joseph farmers and see CEDAR in action. The rainfall has not been as good this year, but many of the farmer’s crops are looking pretty good, especially in comparison to those who had not used the conservation farming method. Operation Joseph had also been able to source and sell seed and fertilizers, which also helped them to get higher yields. The number of farmers in the programme has been increased from around 4500, to over 8000, with the introduction of farmer groups that meet locally to train their community, rather than farmers having to walk long distances each week.
Personal news
Apart from work we have been busy organising the house and getting things ready for our baby who arrives in about 5 weeks time. The pregnancy has gone well, and the time has flown by. The due date is 28th April, so we will let you know once baby arrives!
Sean hasn’t been too well recently, he came down with tick bite fever in February, but fortunately the Dr knew what it was straight away and the medication worked quickly. He is now much better.
We have been involved in quite a lot of things at our church as well. Including the start of our Friday evening youth service, which kicked off with a huge Gladiators event, followed by a talk. We had about 500 young people there from some of the boarding schools and other youth groups in the area. Sean is also doing a lot of the communications and media stuff for New Frontiers Zimbabwe, which is quite a big job and there is lots to learn. He has been designing and publishing magazines, producing videos and designing banners and flyers for several different events.
Please keep checking our blog page for more regular news on Zim, what we have been up to and photos. (Internet and phones have been a major problem here recently so please bear with us if it is not updated for a while.)
The phone numbers for one of the cell phone networks was changed last month, our new mobile phone numbers are:
Sean: +263 912 236124
Debbie: +263 912 773908
Thank you for your continued support,
Love
Sean and Debbie
We thought we’d send another update of what is happening here in Zim and what we have been up to.
Situation in Zimbabwe
The economic situation is going rapidly downhill with inflation going crazy and expected to reach 2000% soon. In February prices of many basic goods went up by 300%. For example, just this weekend petrol was $12,000 a litre, and then 4 days later we had to pay $24,000 a litre.
After a relatively quiet period politically things seem to be gaining momentum again in preparation for the 2008 elections. Violence broke out in a couple of the high-density suburbs a few weeks ago when rallies for the opposition was prevented from taking place by the police, even though they had obtained permission to hold it from the High court. More recently curfews have been put in place in the high density suburbs, and we have just heard that the leaders of the opposition parties have been severely beaten by police, but we heard that that has been in the news over there.
CEDAR
Our work with Operation Joseph and CEDAR continues to go well and be very busy. At CEDAR (HIV/AIDS project) we are in the process of introducing a more practical element to the programme to compliment the ongoing home based care and counselling that is currently provided. At the last count we had 2061 families receiving weekly help from volunteers. ARV’s are expensive and not readily available to the average family, so we have introduced herbs to treat the symptoms of AIDS, increase nutrition and boost the immune system. We are still in the early stages of developing this further but testimony’s that have come back so far have been very positive. The families are able to grow herbs easily in their gardens and they are cheap to buy and can be propagated so are sustainable for the long-term.
Operation Joseph
We recently went on a site visit to Murehwa to visit Operation Joseph farmers and see CEDAR in action. The rainfall has not been as good this year, but many of the farmer’s crops are looking pretty good, especially in comparison to those who had not used the conservation farming method. Operation Joseph had also been able to source and sell seed and fertilizers, which also helped them to get higher yields. The number of farmers in the programme has been increased from around 4500, to over 8000, with the introduction of farmer groups that meet locally to train their community, rather than farmers having to walk long distances each week.
Personal news
Apart from work we have been busy organising the house and getting things ready for our baby who arrives in about 5 weeks time. The pregnancy has gone well, and the time has flown by. The due date is 28th April, so we will let you know once baby arrives!
Sean hasn’t been too well recently, he came down with tick bite fever in February, but fortunately the Dr knew what it was straight away and the medication worked quickly. He is now much better.
We have been involved in quite a lot of things at our church as well. Including the start of our Friday evening youth service, which kicked off with a huge Gladiators event, followed by a talk. We had about 500 young people there from some of the boarding schools and other youth groups in the area. Sean is also doing a lot of the communications and media stuff for New Frontiers Zimbabwe, which is quite a big job and there is lots to learn. He has been designing and publishing magazines, producing videos and designing banners and flyers for several different events.
Please keep checking our blog page for more regular news on Zim, what we have been up to and photos. (Internet and phones have been a major problem here recently so please bear with us if it is not updated for a while.)
The phone numbers for one of the cell phone networks was changed last month, our new mobile phone numbers are:
Sean: +263 912 236124
Debbie: +263 912 773908
Thank you for your continued support,
Love
Sean and Debbie
sugar shortages
Life without sugar
BY ITAI DZAMARA
HARARE - Zimbabweans might soon have to adjust to life without sugar as the country's sugar manufacturer, Zimbabwe Sugar Refineries (ZSR) has drastically scaled down production and is said to be nearing closure.
ZSR has not made supplies to the local market for the past few weeks and sugar was conspicuous by its absence from the shelves of supermarkets in major cities and towns.
Supplies were available on the black market for Z$6000 per 2kg pack, compared to between $1 500 and $2000 that it has been selling when available in supermarkets.
Sources in management at ZSR raised fears of an outright closure. "We have seriously scaled down operations. In fact there have not been deliveries for quite sometime now, save for trickle supplies here and there," a senior manager said. "It is possible we might have to close because the situation increasingly becomes untenable. The main problem is the balancing of huge production costs with government controlled prices."
A visit to ZSR headquarters in Harare last week showed a general lack of production at the plant whilst most of the workers were reportedly forced to take leave. A worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: "Very few of us are here as you can see. There is very little production. Isn't it they told you when you inquired that there is no sugar. We hear they are considering total closure."
Over 2000 workers employed by ZSR countrywide face a bleak future as they could soon join the swelling ranks of the unemployed.
Officials at ZSR ducked questions from The Zimbabwean citing their fear of reprisals amidst reports that some senior government officials had visited them threatening arrest if they increased prices of sugar or closed down operations.
Meanwhile Industry and International Trade minister Obert Mpofu said the shortage was an arm-twisting tactic by producers to force the
government to raise the price of sugar. He said hoarding was compounding the problem.
BY ITAI DZAMARA
HARARE - Zimbabweans might soon have to adjust to life without sugar as the country's sugar manufacturer, Zimbabwe Sugar Refineries (ZSR) has drastically scaled down production and is said to be nearing closure.
ZSR has not made supplies to the local market for the past few weeks and sugar was conspicuous by its absence from the shelves of supermarkets in major cities and towns.
Supplies were available on the black market for Z$6000 per 2kg pack, compared to between $1 500 and $2000 that it has been selling when available in supermarkets.
Sources in management at ZSR raised fears of an outright closure. "We have seriously scaled down operations. In fact there have not been deliveries for quite sometime now, save for trickle supplies here and there," a senior manager said. "It is possible we might have to close because the situation increasingly becomes untenable. The main problem is the balancing of huge production costs with government controlled prices."
A visit to ZSR headquarters in Harare last week showed a general lack of production at the plant whilst most of the workers were reportedly forced to take leave. A worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: "Very few of us are here as you can see. There is very little production. Isn't it they told you when you inquired that there is no sugar. We hear they are considering total closure."
Over 2000 workers employed by ZSR countrywide face a bleak future as they could soon join the swelling ranks of the unemployed.
Officials at ZSR ducked questions from The Zimbabwean citing their fear of reprisals amidst reports that some senior government officials had visited them threatening arrest if they increased prices of sugar or closed down operations.
Meanwhile Industry and International Trade minister Obert Mpofu said the shortage was an arm-twisting tactic by producers to force the
government to raise the price of sugar. He said hoarding was compounding the problem.
BBC news article on Zim
Zimbabwean inflation hits 1,281%
Money worries have prompted many Zimbabweans to take strike action
Inflation in Zimbabwe has continued to spiral upwards, reaching an annual rate of 1,281.1% in December.
Domestic energy, gas and other fuel costs were behind the rise, the Central Statistics Office said.
On a month-on-month basis, inflation increased to 36.3% in December from 30.1% a month earlier.
Surging inflation has been blamed for a significant rise in the cost of living, and analysts have warned rising prices could prompt widespread protests.
Already the public health system has ground to a halt as nurses and doctors have walked out on strike amid demands for a significant wage increase.
Costs surge
As the figures were released, further research by the independent Consumer Council showed the cost of living in the country had jumped by 43% over the past month.
School fees recorded the biggest increase of 262%, while the cost of bread rose 180%.
The southern African country is facing its worst economic crisis since independence in 1980.
Many experts blame the government's mismanagement of the economy for the problems, but President Robert Mugabe says they are a result of domestic and foreign enemies.
The country has also been dogged by shortages of foreign currency to pay for fuel and food, which experts have blamed largely on disruptions to the agriculture-based economy after the seizures of thousands of white-owned commercial farms began in 2000.
Money worries have prompted many Zimbabweans to take strike action
Inflation in Zimbabwe has continued to spiral upwards, reaching an annual rate of 1,281.1% in December.
Domestic energy, gas and other fuel costs were behind the rise, the Central Statistics Office said.
On a month-on-month basis, inflation increased to 36.3% in December from 30.1% a month earlier.
Surging inflation has been blamed for a significant rise in the cost of living, and analysts have warned rising prices could prompt widespread protests.
Already the public health system has ground to a halt as nurses and doctors have walked out on strike amid demands for a significant wage increase.
Costs surge
As the figures were released, further research by the independent Consumer Council showed the cost of living in the country had jumped by 43% over the past month.
School fees recorded the biggest increase of 262%, while the cost of bread rose 180%.
The southern African country is facing its worst economic crisis since independence in 1980.
Many experts blame the government's mismanagement of the economy for the problems, but President Robert Mugabe says they are a result of domestic and foreign enemies.
The country has also been dogged by shortages of foreign currency to pay for fuel and food, which experts have blamed largely on disruptions to the agriculture-based economy after the seizures of thousands of white-owned commercial farms began in 2000.
Christmas
Here are a few photos of us taken over Christmas. One is Sean at reach the nation conference, the only time he was in front of the camara, the other is of me in front of our Christmas tree, 22 weeks pregnant! Then one of the church office staff Christmas party, which was held at our house
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