Senator Edwin Sifuna and six others were denied entry into Angola while attempting to visit on invitation from UNITA’s president, Adalberto Costa Júnior. Despite a formal visa request submitted by UNITA, Angolan authorities blocked their entry at the airport. The incident raises concerns about political freedoms within Angola, where UNITA remains a significant opposition force advocating for reform and development.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna is among seven individuals who have been denied entry into Angola. This group, comprising politicians and activists from Uganda, Kenya, Ukraine, and Ethiopia, was expected to land at Luanda’s 4 de Fevereiro International Airport on March 13. Their visit was facilitated by President Adalberto Costa Júnior of UNITA, Angola’s main opposition party, who had extended the invitation to them.
Upon their arrival, however, the Angolan authorities blocked their entry into the country. Senator Sifuna expressed his frustration on X, stating, “UNITA President Adalberto Costa invited us to Angola. The government has denied us entry!” He also attached a letter that confirmed a formal request for border visas was submitted by UNITA’s presidential office to Angola’s Migration and Foreign Services.
The accompanying letter, signed by Chief of Staff Lucas Tomás Nhanyula, ensured that UNITA would take responsibility for the visitors’ stay in Angola. It read, “They will enter the country tomorrow, March 13, 2025, at the 4 de Fevereiro International Airport. The Office of the President of UNITA declares responsibility for their stay in Angola.”
In addition to Senator Sifuna, the individuals included Sharif Ssenyonjo Najja, Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi, Cirino Hiteng Ofuho, Oleksandr Omelchuk, Andriy Marasin, and Merera Gudina Jefi. UNITA, established in 1966 by Jonas Savimbi, originally aimed for independence from Portuguese rule, later becoming a significant entity in Angola’s civil war against the MPLA, which received support from the Soviet Union and Cuba.
Following the end of the civil war and Savimbi’s death in 2002, UNITA transformed into a political party and continues to serve as the primary opposition force in Angola, advocating for democratic reforms, economic development, and political change.
The denial of entry to Senator Edwin Sifuna and his colleagues highlights ongoing tensions between opposition parties and the Angolan government. Despite formal arrangements for their visit, the action taken by authorities raises questions about political freedoms in Angola. UNITA’s historical significance and current role as the primary opposition party underscore the ongoing challenges in Angola’s political landscape.
Original Source: nairobileo.co.ke
