Own Correspondent| A Zimbabwean political activist based in the United Kingdom is battling to have renewal of her asylum with fears that if she is deported authorities in the Zimbabwe will persecute her.

59 year old Molly Ngavaimbe says she left the country in 2000 after heightened persecutions of opposition political activists.

“I left Zimbabwe in 2000 after the political situation deteriorated. I am a member of the MDC branch in London and have participated in various demonstrations organised by the party here” Ngavaimbe said

Knowing well how opposition political activists have been treated by the Zanu PF led Government he fears for her life once she steps in the country.
“My fear is that because of my participation in demonstrations as well as being a member of the opposition I will be tormented by state security agents and Zanu PF members” she said

Molly claimed her asylum in April 2008 and now she has applied for renewal with fears that it may be turned down owing to the ‘new administration’ that purports to be open.

A clamp down against opposition and civic society organisation activist is currently underway and recently seven activists have been arrested on allegations of trying to overthrow the government.

According to lawyers, police said the activists had attended a workshop in the Maldives run by a group that trained people “how to mobilise citizens to turn against the government and to engage in acts of civil disobedience”

The arrests came just a few days after the state-owned newspaper, the Herald claimed that Zimbabwean organisations with links to the opposition Movement for Democratic Change-Alliance had in recent months been hard at work laying the groundwork for civil unrest set to be unleashed next month.