Asylum seekers wary of MDC win

                                                                    Staff reporter

Many among the thousands of Zimbabwean asylum seekers across the world find themselves in the ironic situation where they will be hoping that President Robert Mugabe remains in power following the weekend elections.

Millions of Zimbabweans have left the country to escape biting poverty back home and many have claimed asylum in countries such as South Africa, the United Kingdom and Australia alleging political persecution at the hands of President Mugabe’s government.

Previous general elections were largely characterised by widespread violence and other gross human rights violations as the ruling Zanu PF party used every trick in the book to retain power and stem a growing tide of opposition led by the Movement for Democratic Change party .

Swayed by gripping images and reports about the worsening crisis, western countries granted some Zimbabweans political asylum but for the thousands more whose applications have either failed or are yet to be approved, these must be anxious times.

Last year a British judge ruled that not all asylum seekers faced persecution if they were sent back home prompting the country’s Border and Immigration Agency to send letters to 500 people advising them they would be deported.

The Zimbabwe Association claims that more than 20 000 Zimbabweans claimed asylum in the United Kingdom between 2000 and 2007 with only a quarter of that number getting some kind of status allowing them to remain in the country.

While concerns remain over whether they were free and fair, the latest elections have generally been described as peaceful with little if any cases of violence being reported across the country.

But should the MDC claims of victory pan out, there will be little if any grounds for people with pending cases in the United Kingdom and other countries to continue claiming asylum meaning many could be send back home.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said official results would be released beginning late Sunday although MDC secretary, Tendai Biti claimed the opposition party had an unassailable early lead.

Zimbabweans went to the polls Saturday to elect a new President, House of Assembly, Senate and new urban and rural councils.

Analysts said this was the biggest challenge yet to President Mugabe’s 28-year stay in power with the veteran leader claiming he would beat his main challengers, Morgan Tsvangirai of the MDC and Simba Makoni, a former minister in his government.