LUANDA, March 14 (AGCNewsNet) – The Angolan government has come under criticism after denying entry to several prominent African political figures invited to a democracy summit hosted by the country’s main opposition party, Unita.

Among those barred from entry were Botswana’s former President Ian Khama, Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu, Mozambique’s Venancio Mondlane, and Kenya’s Senator Edwin Sifuna. The list also included Colombia’s former President Andrés Pastrana and Zanzibar’s first Vice-President Othman Masoud Othman.

“The action of the Angolan government to prevent us from entering Angola is inexplicable and unacceptable,” Lissu wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

A source from Angola’s Migration and Aliens Service (SME) claimed the expulsion was due to "irregularities in the visa procedure," but critics argue it was a deliberate political move to suppress opposition voices.

Unita lawmaker Nelito da Costa Ekwiki condemned the decision, while Mozambican political analyst Tomas Viera Mario called it "strange," given that Angola’s President João Lourenço is currently the African Union (AU) chair and is set to host peace talks on the DR Congo conflict next week.

Opposition figures say the move highlights Angola’s continued suppression of dissent despite presenting itself as a democracy.