In 1996 the Irish Times visited Ian Smith in Harare and were surprised that he had no bodyguards or guards and the front door to his house was open to everyone. he went into town without any protection, and was said that Black Zimbabweans would stop him to say they were better off under his government. Mugabe on the other hand never moved without lorries of armed men and armoured cars around him, and his protection kept growing even as the country fell apart. by 2006 inflation was over 1,000% and people were queuing for bread and fuel, yet his government spent US$60k on new sirens for his motorcade. when the zimbabwean media asked what all his security was costing, the president’s office said it was “not for public consumption.” I’ve always thought this says more about the two regimes than anything.