Karen Clegg Living conditions are far from ideal in Zimbabwe and they are getting worse at an alarming rate.

That was acknowledged in a speech made by Karen Clegg at the Caledon Seniors Centre in Bolton recently.

Clegg was born and raised in Zimbabwe, but has been living in Canada for nine years in Thornbury.

She makes a point of going back every two years to visit her grandfather.

"I was there in March, which was a really important date because it was voting on the 28th," Clegg said.

The last time Clegg lived in Zimbabwe was in October of 1999.

At that time, she was sixmonths pregnant with her son and was married with a seven-year-old daughter.

"It was just wasn't a living condition I wanted to expose my kids to anymore, so we decided to move to Canada," Clegg commented.

Clegg called her trip back to Zimbabwe "a journey to document the truth", to uncover the manipulation and corruption that she said is happening there.

"It was monstrous what was happening. There was no free will, people were forced into things," Clegg said.

"Votes were rigged and in other circumstances people were physically abused into voting for the opposition."

The opposition being President Robert Mugabe, who is accused by rights groups of massive violations of human rights.

Zimbabwe is currently experiencing a hard currency shortage, which has led to hyperinflation and chronic shortages in imported fuel and consumer goods.

"He is running the place to financial ruin just to stay in power and to stay rich," Clegg said.

The place is so bad that people have attempted to escape to South Africa, which boarders

Zimbabwe. On her trip, Clegg saw a woman with her baby tangled in barbed wire.

"She was sent home and if she is still alive she will attempt again to escape within two weeks," Clegg said.

Clegg said that Mugabe's power is backed by the military and secret police, which he pays with Zimbabwe's funds.

The big question is will his resources ever run out?

"Unlikely at this point because China's is his biggest investors," Clegg commented. "Mugabe is selling Zimbabwe's resources to China."