Why are Zimbabweans being urged to observe a two-day national "shutdown"?
Zimbabweans are being urged on social media and the messaging service WhatsApp to observe a two-day national "shutdown" in protest at the government's alleged mismanagement of the country.
A one-day stay away was organised last week and led to a complete shutdown of schools, businesses and shops across the country.
It was the biggest strike action since 2005.
Why are people protesting?
Zimbabwe has run out of money.
Last month, all civil servants were paid late. Soldiers and police were paid after a two-week delay and teachers and nurses were among those who were only paid in the wake of last week's stay away.
These salaries have to be paid in foreign currency as Zimbabwe abandoned its own currency in 2009 in order to stem runaway inflation.
As the country is importing more than it is exporting, it cannot pay its bills.
The coalition government formed with the opposition, which was in power from 2009 until 2013, halted the economic free-fall.
But things started to flounder again after President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party won elections in July 2013 on a mandate of "indigenisation" and a promise to create two million jobs.
This has required all companies to cede economic control to black Zimbabweans.
With echoes of the country's land reform programme, which saw the seizure of land from some 4,000 white farmers, some detractors say this has discouraged much-needed foreign direct investment.
How bad is the situation?
Many people literally cannot afford to feed themselves. This has been exacerbated by a severe drought - the worst in decades.
Even if Zimbabweans have money in their bank accounts, strict limits have been imposed on how much they can withdraw, leading to long bank queues.
With unemployment at more than 90%, many rely on cross-border trading to make a living.
In an attempt to stop money leaving the country, last month the government banned the importation of many goods - from coffee creamers and body cream to beds and fertiliser.
This led to demonstrations at the South African border and a warehouse belonging to the tax agency used to hold seized goods was set alight in Beitbridge.
Ten days later, police in the capital, Harare, had to use tear gas and water cannons to break up a protest by minibus drivers who were angered at constant harassment at roadblocks by officers demanding bribes.
Is there a plan to kick-start the economy?
The government wants to introduce bond notes as a cash substitute. They are to be pegged to the US dollar and would have no value outside Zimbabwe.
Many Zimbabweans are sceptical about this and do not trust the scheme backed by the central bank governor and a $200m (£151m) bond facility from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
Memories of hyperinflation, when the highest denomination was a $100 trillion Zimbabwean dollar note - and prices would go up by millions from one hour to the next - are still fresh.
They fear that within months, the specially designed two, five, 10 and 20 dollar notes would have very little value - and as one market trader put it "wouldn't even buy a sweet".
It has not helped that the announcement of the bond notes came shortly after Mr Mugabe revealed that $15bn of the country's diamond wealth had been looted - something he blamed on foreign mining firms but which many Zimbabweans find hard to believe.
Who is behind the protests?
Charismatic pastor Evan Mawarire began a social media movement in May under the hashtag #ThisFlag, when he spontaneously posted a video online, expressing his frustration at the state of the nation.
It went viral and spurred him to continue urging Zimbabweans to find their voice and demand accountability from their government.
His outspoken videos in English and Shona are careful to say that non-violence is key, but other agitators are not so guarded.
Younger activists under the banner Tajamuka, meaning "we strongly disagree", are less moderate.
Shutdown activists' five demands:
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