OVERVIEW: Zimbabweans protest against fuel price hike

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, the country's biggest labour federation, has called for a three-day strike this week.

Most clashes occurred in Harare's Mabvuku and Epworth suburbs, where residents barricaded roads and prevented public transport vehicles from operating.

Some people threw stones at cars. Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana said the opposition, civic groups and some foreign organisations are trying to use the fuel shortages and price increases to topple the government.

The main opposition MDC party, some non-governmental groups and prominent activist Evan Mawarire said they support the shutdown. - AP

Most businesses in the center of Harare were closed. Some briefly opened but had closed by midday, asking workers to return home.

Many had to walk because they could not afford prices charged by the few public transport vehicles on the road.

Some schools also closed and asked pupils to go home.

Police deployed in large numbers. - AP

Police also fired tear gas at dozens of protesters in downtown Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second-largest city, witnesses said.

The city is a centre of opposition to the government. Many people in the streets directed their anger at President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who took power after longtime leader Robert Mugabe was forced to resign in November 2017 but has not delivered on promises to revive the economy.

"Mnangagwa has failed, he must go," one protester shouted.

Others chanted opposition slogans and sang songs denouncing Mnangagwa, a former confidant of Mugabe who was elected as president in an election last year that the opposition said was rigged.

"He lied that our lives will improve, but things are getting worse by the day since he took over. Prices have been rising every day," said protester Judith Chamambo. - AP

Report fro AP

Zimbabwean police on Monday fired tear gas in suburbs of the capital in an attempt to disperse angry demonstrators who burned tires and threw stones to protest fuel price hikes.

Protesters were undeterred, blocking some roads in Harare after the government's weekend decision to more than double the price of gasoline.

Children in school uniform joined the protests as Zimbabwe is in its worst economic crisis in a decade.

ZWNews is reporting that at least four people have been shot and injured by security forces in Harare's Epworth location.

The report alleges that police officers are moving from house to house smashing doors and arresting people inside.

The Zimbabwean government has just warned warned members of the public against infringing on the rights of others by blocking roads and causing chaos by forcing work bound people to return home. - Herald newspaper

The paper says that the authorities have also also castigated people abusing social media by posting inflammatory statements agitating Zimbabweans to engage in violence and unsanctioned demonstrations.

The government says those engaging in such acts will face the full wrath of the law when arrested.

News Day is reporting clashes between the police and protesters in Mabvuku, Kuwadzana and Chitungwiza.

Protesters are burning tyres and barricading roads, and police are responding by deploying teargas and water, the report says.

Zim Fuel hike: Angry protesters burn tyres, block buses from carrying passengers

AFP is reporting that Commuters were stranded in Zimbabwe's two main cities on Monday as angry protesters reacting to the weekend more than doubling of fuel prices, burned tyres and used rocks to barricade roads and blocked buses from carrying passengers.

Residents in Epworth, a poor suburb east of the capital Harare, on Monday woke up to find boulders blocking roads leading to the city centre.

"It's tense since early morning," Nhamo Tembo, a resident told AFP.

"Roads are blocked with huge stones and there are angry people preventing commuter buses from carrying passengers. People are just stranded," he said.

In the city of Bulawayo, demonstrators attacked minibuses heading to the city centre and used burning tyres and stones to block the main routes into town while some schools were turning away pupils fearing for their safety.

Last week the government more than doubled fuel prices to among the highest in the world, in a bid to improve supplies, as the country continued to struggle with its worst gasoline shortages in a decade, AFP reported.

In a televised address on Saturday, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said prices of petrol and diesel would more than double to tackle a shortfall caused by increased demand and "rampant" illegal trading.

Mnangagwa, who took over from longtime leader Robert Mugabe and won a disputed election last July, also announced a package of measures to help state workers after strikes by doctors and teachers over poor pay.

He said from midnight on Saturday, petrol prices would rise from $1.24 a litre to $3.31 and diesel from $1.36 a litre to $3.11.

Zim govt deploys riot police in 'hot spots' as ZCTU calls for strike over fuel price hikes

The Zimbabwean government has reportedly deployed riot police in "hot spots" after the country’s largest labour union called for a national strike over a sharp rise in fuel prices.