I had an interesting chat with a retired person who has lived and worked on multiple continents including Africa. He was narrating the story of his life in Zambia in the 80s and the fall of Zimbabwe to its current day.
After the ascension of Robert Mugabe to the 'throne', a Zimbabwean citizen working in Zambia rhetorically asked, "When do you think Zimbabwe will begin to slide?"
My friend jokingly answered, "When the policemen start wearing trousers instead of shorts."
I have been thinking about this - and there might be a correlation here - perhaps even a hint of causality. Bombay Police were once rated the second best police force in the world - only Scotland Yard was ranked higher. Back then policemen wore shorts, and if old Hindi movies are any indication of reality of the era, were generally quite fit.
Today, the police force is not quite as respected, and the movies of today portray the policewalla as a pot-bellied pan-chewing person leaning against a vehicle waiting for his next victim.
My friend says that his joke proved to be quite [providential] and the police force of Zimbabwe changed their uniforms from shorts to trousers in the 1980s. Ever since, that police force has been seen as growing more incompetent and more corrupt.
Interesting thought, that a lead indicator of the beginning of the end is when the even the 'sipahi' becomes a 'sahib'. Too many chiefs and no Indians.
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