Zimbabwe's largest trade union called for national protests on Thursday as the country's economic crisis worsens, but police said they would halt any demonstrations in Harare due to a cholera outbreak.

The Zimbabwe Congress Trade Union (ZCTU) said the strike was triggered by sharp price hikes, a new tax on electronic transactions and daily shortages ranging from fuel to drugs.

Zctu president Peter Mutasa on tueasday said they are going to approach the courts. He said they  do not think the police have a legal basis (for any ban

He also said the police are just trying to intimidate people into not joining the march.

Zimbabwe's moribund economy has hit new lows in recent days with shops struggling to stock shelves, prices of goods such as cooking oil rising rapidly due to panic buying and long queues outside petrol stations.