Zanzibar’s Vice President Othman Masoud Denied Entry into Angola
Zanzibar’s First Vice President Othman Masoud Othman and a Tanzanian delegation were denied entry into Angola while attempting to attend a democracy conference. Other prominent figures were similarly detained without explanation, leading to diplomatic tensions. The Tanzanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is seeking clarifications from Angola as social media reactions criticize the incident.
A diplomatic incident occurred at Luanda Airport when Zanzibar’s First Vice President, Othman Masoud Othman, alongside a Tanzanian delegation, was denied entry into Angola. Notable figures like Mozambican politician Venâncio Mondlane and former Botswana President Ian Khama were also barred from entering the country without any official explanation provided.
The delegation, led by Dorothy Semu of the ACT-Wazalendo party, intended to attend a conference on democracy and governance organized with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation. Upon their arrival, Angolan authorities detained them at the airport and seized their passports, including those belonging to Othman and his security details.
This incident has intensified concerns regarding Tanzania-Angola relations, provoking strong reactions on social media. Tanzania’s prominent figure, Zitto Kabwe, condemned the actions on Twitter as a significant affront to Tanzania’s dignity, pressing the Tanzanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a response.
It was reported that Tanzanian officials were not the only ones detained at the airport. An official letter, dated March 12, 2025, from UNITA’s President’s Office disclosed that opposition leaders from Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Ukraine were invited to the same conference but also encountered entry denials.
Individuals such as Sharif Ssenyonjo Najja and Uganda’s Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) were included in the correspondence. The invitation indicated their intended arrival in Angola on March 13, 2025, through the 4 de Fevereiro International Airport.
As of the latest update, the Tanzanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not provided an official statement regarding this incident but is reportedly seeking clarification from Angola concerning the rejection of its delegation’s entry. Meanwhile, Angolan authorities remain silent about the reasons for such detentions.
The denial of entry to Zanzibar’s First Vice President and accompanying Tanzanian diplomats highlights a significant diplomatic challenge between Tanzania and Angola. The incident has elicited widespread condemnation and raises serious questions about the diplomatic relations and treatment of invited officials at international events. Without a clarifying response from Angolan authorities, tensions may escalate further between the involved nations.
Original Source: www.ghanaweb.com
