Zimbabwean President, Emmerson Mnangagwa has busted his trip to Europe after violent protests in his home country.

President Mnangagwa who has been due to attend the Davos economic summit where he was expected to seek investment for Zimbabwe, earlier this month announced a steep increase in the fuel price.

The price rises were meant to tackle fuel shortages, but mean that Zimbabwe now has the most expensive fuel in the world.

Ministers say the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, MDC, is using the sharp fuel price increases as a pretext for violence and accusing the authorities of a brutal crackdown.

Many Zimbabweans, worn down by years of economic hardship, have suddenly found they cannot even afford the bus fare to work.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO forum however said that at least twelve people have been killed and seventy-eight treated for gunshot injuries.

The UN has called on the government to halt the “excessive use of force” by security agents, amid reports of door-to-door searches and the use of live ammunition.

The government blocked Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp messaging apps last week, until a high court ordered it to restore access.