President Issayas Aferwerki defies most of the stereotypes about political leaders in Africa. He regularly drives a Toyota Corolla through the streets of Asmara, Eritrea’s capital, stopping at a pavement café for an espresso and a heavyweight political argument. A tall, slender, serious-looking man with intense eyes, Issayas has the demeanour of a youthful university don rather than a guerrilla leader turned civilian president.
Abjuring presidential pomp and ceremony and bodyguards in dark glasses, Issayas moves around his country much as he did when he was an obscure guerrilla commander.
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