Mark Ashurst
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/ 19 April 2007

Rough justice

”It turns out that I’m not the first man delivered to the police chief on the back of this pickup. The last one was a labourer, caught overcharging for the farmer’s tomatoes at the local market.” On the border between Zimbabwe and Mozambique, Mark Ashurst observes an unwritten constitution at work.

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/ 12 April 2007

The day after Mugabe

This week is the 27th anniversary of Zimbabwe’s independence — an occasion, as often before, for President Robert Mugabe to remind his beleaguered countrymen of their many achievements. Zimbabwe today is bereft of optimism and self-confidence. As recently as a decade ago, Zimbabwe’s record was routinely cited as an inspiration to its neighbours.