Zanzibar's First Vice President Othman Masoud, Lissu denied entry into Angola

Dar es Salaam. A diplomatic standoff unfolded at Luanda Airport on Thursday when Zanzibar's First Vice President, Othman Masoud Othman, Chadema national chairman Tundu Lissu and a Tanzanian delegation were denied entry into Angola.

In addition to Zanzibar's Vice President and other Tanzanians, other notable figures were also prevented from entering Angola, including Mozambican politician Venâncio Mondlane and former Botswana President Ian Khama.

These individuals faced difficulties at the 4 de Fevereiro Airport, with no official explanation provided for their detention.

The group which also had ACT-Wazalendo party leader Dorothy Semu, had traveled to attend a conference focused on democracy and governance, organized in partnership with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

Upon arrival, the authorities detained the delegation at the airport and confiscated their passports, including those of Othman and his security team.

According to Chadema national Chairman Tundu Lissu, Angolan immigration authorities were holding up and denying entry into Angola a delegation of more than 20 senior leaders and representatives of political parties from across southern Africa . 

"The group includes a sitting First Vice President from Tanzania; a former President of Botswana; a former Prime Minister of Lesotho and a host of senior political leaders and delegates from Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, South Africa, Namibia, Eswatini, Lesotho, Germany, USA, Uganda, DRC and Mozambique," Lissu wrote on X.

He further added: This shabby treatment of the nationals of brotherly African nations by the Angolan immigration authorities is totally unacceptable and should be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

The incident has raised concerns about the state of relations between Tanzania and Angola, with social media quickly reacting to the news.

Former ACT Wazalendo leader Zitto Kabwe, , condemned the move, calling it a "disrespect shown by Angola to Tanzania."

Kabwe also questioned the Tanzanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about how they would respond to the diplomatic affront.

He tweeted, “A delegation from Tanzania led by party leader @SemuDorothy, including Zanzibar First Vice President @Othmasoud, is being held by Angola authorities at Luanda Airport. Their passports, including that of @Mfatanzania officials, have been confiscated."

According to a source from Angola, Tanzanian officials were not the only ones detained at the airport.

An official letter from UNITA’s President's Office, dated March 12, 2025, which The Citizen has reviewed, confirms that several opposition leaders from Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Ukraine had also been invited to the event.

 The letter, addressed to Angola’s Director of Migration and Foreign Services, included a request for border visas for the following individuals: Sharif Ssenyonjo Najja and Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) from Uganda; Cirino Hiteng Ofuho and Edwin Watenya Sifuna from Kenya; Oleksandr Omelchuk and Andriy Marasin from Ukraine; and Merera Gudina Jefi from Ethiopia. These individuals, too, were denied entry into Angola. Tanzanian officials were however not included in the list.

The invitation mentioned that these individuals would be entering Angola on March 13, 2025, via the 4 de Fevereiro International Airport.

However, Zanzibar’s Vice President and other Tanzanians were not included on the list.

The Tanzanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to issue an official response regarding the incident. However, sources suggest that the Tanzanian government is seeking immediate clarification from Angola on the reasons for the denial of entry.

As of now, Angolan authorities have not clarified the reasons behind the detention of these invited guests.