LIVE UPDATES:   Police in Harare on Monday fired tear gas and water cannons in an attempt to quell rioting by minibus drivers and others protesting what they describe as police harassment.

The violence came amid a surge in protests in recent weeks because of increasing economic hardship and alleged mismanagement by the government of President Robert Mugabe.
An Associated Press journalist saw protesters severely beating two police officers with sticks, then taking their uniforms and helmets and wearing them.
The protesters blocked roads leading into the centre of Harare, forcing many people to walk up to 10 km to get to work. Rioters threw stones at police and vehicles, and some children on their way to school were caught up in the chaos.
Outnumbered police later sought to negotiate with the crowds after failing to disperse thousands of protesters, who were concentrated in Harare’s eastern suburbs. Many rioters were young men who can’t find regular employment and make a living off drivers by charging a small fee to load passengers into minibuses.
The drivers’ grievances stem from anger over numerous roadblocks that police sometimes set up in city streets, which drivers allege are to demand bribes. Police recently promised to reduce the number of roadblocks after complaints from parliamentarians, tourism operators and others.
Such acts of defiance and clashes with the police are rare in Zimbabwe, although the government deployed the army against the 1998 riots over soaring food prices. Mugabe, 92, has ruled the southern African country since independence from white minority rule in 1980, scoffing at frequent allegations of human rights violations.
MORE UPDATES: Public transport operators in Epworth, Tafara and Mabvuku have as of Monday 4th July 2016 10am morning blocked roads and dropped passengers in protest against police harassment.

Protestors on the other side calling for the Riot Police not to advance #Epworth #KombiTouts pic.twitter.com/sYT15oE3RW

— Anesu Masamvu (@Anesu0610) July 4, 2016

There is no public transport getting into the city centre from the three high density suburbs and people are being forced by the situation to walk into town.

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BINDURA
In Bindura a correspondent gave ZimEye.com the below update:
 – 1031Hrs: A group of 2000 youths from Chiwaridzo township marching,singing and dancing holding banners denouncing president Mugabe
 – 1100Hrs: The group arrived at the provincial affairs minister for Mash Central,Martin Dinha.The youths continue to sing demanding the resignation of President Mugabe.The vendors now joined in. One of the placards reads, Mai Mujuru, The real Mother Zim not Marujata.
 – 1130Hrs: Minister Dinha not yet coming out of his office to address angry protestors. Makorokoza from nearby Katsiyatota also joins in as more and more people are dancing and denouncing president Mugabe.
 – 1145Hrs: Riot police is dispersing the crowd but the people are resisting saying they will burn the ministers office if the police continue to harass them
 – 1200Hrs: The riot police beating people and the people dispersing
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Meanwhile, the commuter operators in Harare are saying that they are being robbed of their money by the police who have become a common feature on the roads.
People from Epworth, Mabvuku and Tafara, said that the angry Kombi drivers are even forcing private cars to drop passengers they would have given lifts.
“They are blocking roads and forcing people to walk to town and they are also targeting private cars they would have seen ferrying passengers,” said one commuter who comes from Epworth.
“Their reason is that the police are making it difficult for them to operate. They are saying they are forced to pay at every roadblock throughout the day and as a result they say they are working for the police,” he said.
Police are mounting roadblocks everywhere, and are charging spot fines on motorists for small traffic offences.
Last month the police chief, Augustine Chihuri, was summoned by parliament to come and explain why the roads are heavy infested with police roadblocks, but he failed to turn up after being pulled into a secret meeting with President Robert Mugabe.
The development has been interpreted as a continuation of the Beitbridge fires which brought down two buildings on Friday morning.
Cabinet at the weekend called on Zimbabweans to follow normal protocols of communication to air their grievances saying there is no need to protest in this fashion.
But the Zimbabwean state is “a government that doesn’t listen…People cannot wait until 2018 to shift this government out,” the Joice Mujuru led ZimFirst party UK leader, Philani Noble said. VIDEO: