In Africa oppression is not handled as subtle as in the developed Western World. (at least in most places most of the time until recently) It can be quite crude, with opposition politicians often beaten to pulp or outrightly murdered by government goons. 

But let those old records speak for themselves with the voice of the time when the experience was had:

2 foreigners arrested in Nyamapanda
Zimbabwe 2006 - read here

Dammed and busted in Mozambique

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