Nairobi — Kenya's Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna was among a group of senior political leaders from across Africa 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).
The delegation, which included Tanzania's opposition figure Tundu Lissu and other prominent politicians, had traveled to 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 stated.
Lissu, a senior leader of Tanzania's opposition party CHADEMA, condemned the move, calling it unacceptable. "Angolan immigration authorities are holding up and denying entry to me and over twenty senior leaders from across southern Africa," he said.
Among those affected were a First Vice President from 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 recalled Tanzania's historical support for Angola's independence struggle and its role in fighting apartheid forces in Southern Angola in the 1970s and 1980s. "Tanzania hosted Dr. Antonio Agostinho Neto and his MPLA fighters in their early years of struggle. As SADC members, Tanzanians don't need visas to enter Angola," he said, calling the incident "totally unacceptable."
A formal request for border visas had been submitted to Angolan authorities ahead of the visit, with UNITA's Office Director Lucas Tomas Kanutula assuring officials that the party would take full responsibility for the delegation's stay.
Despite this assurance, the group was turned away. The Angolan government has yet to provide an official explanation for the denial.