The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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Kenya’s Nairobi Senator, Edwin Sifuna, was among a group of prominent African political leaders who were denied entry into Angola on Thursday, despite being invited by the country’s main opposition party, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).
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The delegation, which also included Tanzania’s opposition leader Tundu Lissu and other notable politicians, had arrived in Luanda for a two-day meeting but was blocked by Angolan immigration authorities upon arrival.
“UNITA President Adalberto Costa invited us to Angola. The government has denied us entry!” Sifuna said.
Lissu, a senior figure in Tanzania’s opposition party CHADEMA, denounced the decision, calling it unacceptable. “Angolan immigration authorities are detaining me and more than twenty senior leaders from across southern Africa,” he stated.
Among those affected were the First Vice President of Tanzania, a former President of Botswana, a former Prime Minister of Lesotho, and delegates from Kenya, Sudan, South Africa, Namibia, Eswatini, Germany, the USA, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Mozambique.
Lissu emphasized Tanzania’s historical support for Angola’s independence struggle and its involvement in fighting apartheid forces in Southern Angola during the 1970s and 1980s. “Tanzania hosted Dr. Antonio Agostinho Neto and his MPLA fighters in their early years of struggle. As members of SADC, Tanzanians don’t need visas to enter Angola,” he added, calling the incident “completely unacceptable.”
A formal visa request had been submitted to Angolan authorities ahead of the visit, with UNITA’s Office Director, Lucas Tomas Kanutula, assuring officials that the party would fully take responsibility for the delegation’s stay.
However, despite this assurance, the group was turned away. The Angolan government has yet to provide an official explanation for the denial.
