Senator Edwin Sifuna and six others were denied entry into Angola after being invited by UNITA’s President. Their visa requests were reportedly ignored by authorities, underlying ongoing political tensions. UNITA, the main opposition party, has a history rooted in Angola’s independence movement and civil conflict.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna is one of seven individuals who were denied entry into Angola. This group, which includes politicians and activists from Uganda, Kenya, Ukraine, and Ethiopia, was scheduled to arrive at Luanda’s 4 de Fevereiro International Airport on March 13. The visit was arranged by Adalberto Costa Júnior, the leader of UNITA, Angola’s principal opposition party.
Upon their arrival, however, Angolan authorities prevented them from entering the country. Senator Sifuna expressed his frustration on X, detailing that UNITA President Adalberto Costa had invited their group. He also shared a letter confirming that a formal visa request for their entry had been submitted to Angola’s Migration and Foreign Services by UNITA’s presidential office.
The letter, signed by Chief of Staff Lucas Tomás Nhanyula, indicated that UNITA would assume full responsibility for the visitors during their stay. “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,” the letter stated. The group also included other notable figures such as Sharif Ssenyonjo Najja and Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi from Uganda, Cirino Hiteng Ofuho from Kenya, Oleksandr Omelchuk and Andriy Marasin from Ukraine, and Merera Gudina Jefi.
UNITA was originally founded in 1966 by Jonas Savimbi as a nationalist movement to achieve independence from Portuguese colonial rule. Following Angola’s independence in 1975, UNITA emerged as a significant player in the country’s civil war against the ruling MPLA, supported by the Soviet Union and Cuba. After the end of the war in 2002 and Savimbi’s death, UNITA transitioned to a political party and has since continued to be a leading voice for democracy, economic development, and political reform in Angola.
In summary, Senator Edwin Sifuna and six other activists were denied entry into Angola, despite an invitation from UNITA’s President. Their visa applications, which assured responsibility for their visit, were apparently disregarded by Angolan authorities. This incident highlights ongoing political tensions in Angola, particularly surrounding the role of UNITA as a key opposition party advocating for reform since its founding during Angola’s struggle for independence.
Original Source: nairobileo.co.ke
