The streets of Zimbabwe's main cities were deserted during a nationwide strike to protest at the lack of jobs and unpaid wages. The protests were organised through the messaging site WhatsApp but it is not clear which group is behind it. The BBC's Brian Hungwe in Harare says it was one of the biggest protests in many years. Protesters also set up burning barricades in Harare. Some of the messages calling for a stay away also called on President Mugabe, who has governed the country since independence in 1980, to step down. On Twitter, activists used the hashtag #ShutDownZimbabwe2016 to mobilise support. Many civil servants have not been paid in more than a month: they went on strike on Tuesday. On Monday, taxi drivers complaining about police extortion clashed with the security forces in parts of Harare. The economy has also been hit by currency shortages and a severe drought.