Several opposition politicians and at least two former presidents from various countries were denied entry into Angola on Thursday, sources said. They had traveled to attend a democracy conference organised by Angola’s main opposition party, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).
Among those blocked from entering were Tanzania’s opposition leader Tundu Lissu and Mozambique’s Venancio Mondlane. “Angolan immigration authorities are holding up and denying entry into Angola for me and a delegation of more than twenty senior leaders,” Lissu wrote on social media.
Former Colombian president Andrés Pastrana also reported being detained at Luanda’s airport, while Kenyan senator Edwin Sifuna shared a letter from UNITA confirming he was invited but refused entry.
Sources told AFP that at least two dozen people, including former heads of state and rights activists, were barred from entering. The Angolan government has not issued a statement on the matter.
UNITA lawmaker Nelito da Costa Ekwiki condemned the move, arguing it damages the reputation of Angolan President João Lourenço, who currently chairs the African Union.
Angola, a resource-rich nation in southern Africa, has sought to position itself as a regional mediator, particularly in efforts to stabilise eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. However, rights groups accuse its government of increasing repression, including passing laws to tighten media controls and restrict protests.
