Angola has denied entry to Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Ugandan opposition leader Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, despite an official invitation from Angola’s main opposition party.

In a statement on Thursday, March 13, Sifuna said Angolan authorities blocked their entry, ignoring a formal invitation issued by the Office of the President of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).

“UNITA President Adalberto Costa invited us to Angola. The Government has denied us entry!” Sifuna, who also serves as the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party Secretary General, said in a post on social media.

Sifuna also shared a letter from UNITA signed by Chief of Staff Lucas Tomás Nhanyula, addressed to Angola’s Director of Migration and Foreign Services.

The letter informed the authorities about the planned arrival of Sifuna, Bobi Wine, and other politicians and activists.

According to the document, the delegation included Sharif Ssenyonjo of Uganda, Cirino Hiteng Ofuho of Kenya, Oleksandr Omelchuk and Andriy Marasin from Ukraine, and Merera Gudina of Ethiopia.

“They will enter the country tomorrow, March 13, 2025, at 4 de Fevereiro International Airport. The Office of the President of UNITA declares that it is responsible for their stay in Angola,” the letter read.

UNITA also requested the Immigration and Foreigners Services to ensure a smooth reception for the group, underscoring the party’s commitment to their well-being during the visit.

The Angolan government has not provided a public explanation for the refusal to grant entry to the politicians and activists, despite the official invitation from UNITA.

UNITA, Angola’s second-largest political party, was founded in 1966 by Jonas Savimbi as a nationalist movement opposing Portuguese colonial rule.

After Savimbi’s death in 2002 and the conclusion of the Angolan civil war, UNITA transitioned into a political party and remains a significant opposition force advocating for democratic reforms and economic progress.

The incident in Angola mirrors a recent diplomatic standoff involving Kenya and Tanzania.

In December 2024, Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino was blocked from entering Tanzania.

In a letter dated February 3, 2025, Owino formally requested an explanation from Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan via the Tanzanian ambassador in Kenya.

Owino claimed he was detained at Dar es Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International Airport and declared persona non grata without prior notice.

“I write to bring to your attention that when I recently visited Tanzania in December 2024, your immigration officers rejected my passport and casually informed me that I am on the list of persona non grata in Tanzania,” Owino stated in his letter.

The MP criticized his treatment as a violation of his right to free movement under international agreements and the East African Community (EAC) Treaty. He requested a formal explanation, citing his official duties, business interests, and personal ties to Tanzania as reasons for clarity.

The back-to-back incidents raise questions about regional cooperation and freedom of movement among African nations, especially in the context of diplomatic relations and political engagement across borders.