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Angola is facing criticism after barring several senior African political figures from entering the country to attend a democracy conference organized by the opposition party, Unita.
Among those denied entry were Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu, Mozambique’s Venancio Mondlane, Botswana’s former President Ian Khama, and other representatives from across the continent.
“The action of the Angolan government to prevent us from entering Angola is inexplicable and unacceptable,” Lissu said on X.
According to Angola’s Migration and Aliens Service (SME), the expulsions were due to “irregularities in the visa procedure.” However, critics see the move as a deliberate attempt to suppress dissent.
A Controversial Crackdown
At least 20 opposition leaders from Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, and South Sudan—many of whom had valid visas or were eligible for visas on arrival—were deported, according to the Platform for African Democrats (Pad).
Khama, former Colombian President Andres Pastrana, and Zanzibar’s First Vice-President Othman Masoud Othman were reportedly detained at the airport for nine hours without explanation. Though later released, they missed their connecting flights.
The Angolan government initially promised to provide a replacement flight, but it never materialized, Pad said.
Zanzibar’s opposition party, ACT Wazalendo, called on Tanzania’s government to summon Angola’s ambassador for an explanation.
A Blow to Angola’s Democratic Image
Mozambican political analyst Tomas Viera Mario described the move as “strange,” given that Angolan President João Lourenço has positioned himself as a regional mediator and is currently the African Union (AU) chair.
Lourenço is set to host peace talks on the DR Congo conflict next week, making the decision to bar prominent African political figures even more controversial.
“Barring these figures shows total contempt and little respect for the pan-African spirit of the AU,” Mario said.
Unita lawmaker Nelito da Costa Ekwiki condemned the deportations, calling them part of Angola’s long-standing pattern of silencing dissent.
The incident underscores ongoing concerns about political freedoms in Angola, where the government has frequently been accused of restricting opposition voices to maintain its grip on power.
