/ 25 May 2017

Mmusi Maimane barred from entering Zambia

Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane decries the state of the nation during the debate on President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation address.
Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane decries the state of the nation during the debate on President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation address.

Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane has been stopped by Zambian police on his way to attend the treason trial of the leader of Zambia’s largest opposition party, the DA has said.

Zambian police boarded his arriving SAA flight upon touchdown, the DA said in a statement.

Maimane was on his way to show support to Hakainde Hichilema, who is being unduly persecuted by his government, and to show the DA’s commitment to a human-rights based foreign policy.

“Upon arrival Zambian police boarded the aircraft, aggressively confronted Maimane and have taken his private cell phone from his possession. We have taken this matter up urgently with the ministry of international relations and we expect that they will dispatch South African diplomats to Kenneth Kaunda airport immediately,” the statement reads. – News24