The two-day strike which began Tuesday and a series of demonstrations in outlying townships were called by the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change to protest alleged government repression and acute shortages of food and gasoline.

In clandestinely distributed fliers, the opposition called for peaceful protests carried out with "utmost discipline." [...]

The opposition hoped the action would paralyze the economy and force Mugabe to step down ahead of new internationally supervised elections, said spokesman, Paul Themba Nyathi