She told the Guardian yesterday that, although she was weak from lack of food, she intended to continue her protest. She insisted that all the female Zimbabwean detainees at the centre, thought to number around 60, were still refusing food.
Ms Tshabangu, 23, said that her mother was burned to death in her home by Zanu-PF members 2002. Ms Tshabangu then went to work for a white farmer who had employed her mother.
But the farm outside Bulawayo was attacked by Zanu-PF members and the family fled, taking her with them. She claimed that she was badly beaten during the attack.
They fled to South Africa, where the family bought air tickets to Scotland and offered to take her with them, but she said she would prefer to go to England to her sister, her only surviving relative.
When asked why she did not remain with the family who had helped her, she said: "My mother always told me Zimbabwe used to be ruled by England and that people in that country were good and would look after those they had ruled."
