AS a budding pop star in Zimbabwe, Xolani Tshongwe sang out against the oppressive government ruling his country.
After being tortured by President Mugabe's men for performing at political rallies, he fled to South Africa and then to Britain to seek asylum.
But when he landed at Manchester Airport last year he was arrested for using a fake South African passport and spent seven months in Strangeways prison. His asylum application was refused and an appeal against the decision turned down in September when the courts ruled the 26-year-old should be sent home.
Now living in Openshaw, Manchester, and sitting out a 'waiting game' to be deported, he says he is terrified he will be killed in Zimbabwe.
Xolani, who performed his provocative political music in support of opposition party the MDC, under the name Mazia, said: "At the rallies we always said Britain is on our side. The media came in and saw the way the people are suffering.
"People just 'disappear' and I was so afraid I would be kidnapped or killed. I thought I would be safe here but I was made to suffer in prison and now I am waiting to be sent back. I know they'll be waiting for me Harare.
"I performed my music to try to open their eyes that it will not change if they continue to vote for Mugabe. I did something for the people but now I am scared my life is in danger."
In its judgment, the UK Border Agency said there were not `substantial grounds for believing that you face a real risk of suffering serious harm'.
A spokesman said: "We consider every case with enormous care and whenever someone needs our protection we will grant it. However, not every Zimbabwean in the UK needs asylum."
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Asylum seeker fears for his life
December 01, 2008
Xolani Tshongwe
Showing comments 1 to 14 and replies | View All
Barney Gumball (01/12/2008 at 08:08)
Mark, South Manchester (01/12/2008 at 09:38)
Britain made its wealth by exploiting and robbing such people's African countries - and great cities like Manchester were built on the back of the repugnant British Empire.
We owe the people of these Commonwealth countries so much.
Phileas T Fogplatter, A-u-L Lancashire (01/12/2008 at 10:50)
" and great cities like Manchester were built on the back of the repugnant British Empire."
So it was nowt to do with people slaving away for 16 hours a day in the cotton mills of Manchester?
Ace Shakespeare , manchester (01/12/2008 at 11:21)
Ace Shakespeare , manchester (01/12/2008 at 12:29)
People like mark always see it from a slanted point of view .They never see our side of the coin,they dont see our history of slavery or torture or depravety. We struggled just as bad as the black slaves infact we were enslaved to places like austrailia/america to work just like the african slaves.we had women working down mines and having babies while they were down the mines,And just hours after having a baby they were back down the mines again,and we also had a really poor child slavery problem in britain ect.In this world we had white slavery as well as back slavery its nothing to do with colour slavery is right across the the human spectrum.
Mark, South Manchester (01/12/2008 at 14:19)
The emerging textile industries of British Empire countries, like India, were "strangled" and these countries were forced to buy British goods made back in good old Blighty. That's what the British Empire was all about - taking their resources & enforcing our trade upon them.
(No Slave Trade & British Empire and "no" Liverpool & Manchester!!)
Oh and those Manchester cotton factories etc - weren't they full of workers from Ireland & Eastern Europe (Jewish people) etc too?
Let this guy stay.
Ace Shakespeare , manchester (01/12/2008 at 15:51)
If these countries were poor how did they find the money to buy the goods??Your words not mine mark.If these people were slaves they would have no money to buy goods that were imported from "Blighty" as you say.
Marc (01/12/2008 at 16:04)
Jules2008, Manchester (02/12/2008 at 11:44)
Bean B4, manchester (02/12/2008 at 15:23)
Pippa, Manchester (02/12/2008 at 20:44)
LogicalLion (03/12/2008 at 02:51)
Xolani is doing his small part to try to change things for the better so that people from his country may one day, be able, to stand up & have a voice, it's basic democracy. Music is his medium. If we could choose the folk who are allowed residency in this country he would get my vote over any of the people from the so called 'EU'who have free legal reign.
lizard (03/12/2008 at 10:59)
As for singing about the plight of Zimbabwe people, why does this fit young man not stay and fight the good fight!.many brave people do that. When this very important political enemy of such a tyrannical government escaped, was he concerned that his leaving may leave his family and friends a vulnerable and obvious target?.
ilyas orhanli (03/12/2008 at 11:33)