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5am Harare airport: check-in at the small basic terminal isn't open. While we're waiting, I decide to take a photo on my phone of a portrait of Robert Mugabe which is hanging above the entrance to passport control. One of the airport employees comes towards me and this polite, firm conversation follows:

"You're not allowed to take photos ma'am."
"Oh... why is that?"
"Because photos aren't allowed."
"Seriously? Why is that?"
"Could you delete your photo please?"
"So a photo of a portrait of President Mugabe isn't allowed?"
"That's correct."
"But why is that?"
"For security reasons."
"Security reasons?"
"Yes, no photos are allowed, so could you delete it please?"
"I'm very happy to delete it, but I'd like you to explain how my photo could affect security."
"Please delete it."

So I had to, didn't I? Bizarre. Then I showed him a photo of my two boys to smooth things over and he smiled.

After a two day stay in Harare where no one bothered us, where we spoke to whoever we wanted to and, for that matter, photographed whatever we wanted to, it was a jarring end to our visit.

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