Riots broke out in Harare yesterday as taxi operators clashed with police over roadblocks leading into the city centre. The latest skirmishes in the Zimbabwean capital come a few days after violent protests broke out at the Beitbridge border post over new legislation that came into effect this month that restrict the influx of imported products to the country.Authorities have refused to rescind the controversial law.Political parties have warned that Zimbabwe is on "a knife edge" as the economy continues to tank, with the government now failing to pay civil servants.Hundreds of travellers in Ruwa, Epworth, Mabvuku and Hatfield were left stranded yesterday as taxi operators clashed with police.The increase in the number of roadblocks was the subject of discussion at a briefing held last week in the resort town of Victoria Falls.Speaker of parliament Jacob Mudenda told delegates at the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce that police had to reduce the number of roadblocks as they threatened business viability."We have debated in parliament and said there is no law that says there should be X number of roadblocks on the road," Mudenda said."Tourists driving from Beitbridge to here, Victoria Falls, on average must go through 20 roadblocks. Why? They have been checked at the border for whatever imagined misdemeanours they might have and they came through customs and immigration."Meanwhile, a joint statement circulated on social media by the three biggest taxi associations in Bulawayo indicated that operators in the second city were ready to join in the protests against police.The taxi associations said they would join the protests due to "police brutality on our roads".Today, public servants are expected to also join in a nationwide strike over the government's failure to pay salaries on time. Only the uniformed forces - army and police - have been paid their June salaries.Yesterday's clashes come after residents protested at Beitbridge, 600km south of Harare, on Friday against restrictions on basic goods imported from South Africa.Political parties blame the recent protests on bad governance.A senior member of the Morgan Tsvangirai-led faction of Movement for Democratic Change told journalists that the party was in support of the demonstrations."We are in support of these revolts and we know the regime will fall before 2018 [election year]," secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora told the Daily News."People are angry," said Simba Makoni, the leader of Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn party.The government is claiming there are external forces behind the wave of riots."The way they carried out the operations is unlike Zimbabweans," said State Security Minister Kembo Mohadi. The ruling Zanu-PF's politburo meets tomorrow. 'F-You, Mr President'The leader of a new Zimbabwean political party kicked off the movement by swearing at President Robert Mugabe during a media conference. Acie Lumumba, 26, a former Zanu-PF youth leader, said at the launch of Viva Zimbabwe that Mugabe had never seen Zimbabweans angry."So here is the red line. Mr President Robert Gabriel Mugabe, f**k you. I have drawn the line, our kids are in trouble."Lumumba said he wanted Mugabe to know that, should anything happen to him, the same fate would befall Mugabe's children.He had to leave the conference when security agents stormed the room. Lumumba's whereabouts are currently unknown. - TMG Digital..