Somali athlete blocked at Entebbe Airport

Dec 01, 2013

A Somali athlete, who was travelling to Uganda for Sunday’s African University Cross Country championships, was blocked from entering the country by the Entebbe Airport immigration department.

By Norman Katende

A Somali athlete, who was travelling to Uganda for Sunday’s African University Cross Country championships, was blocked from entering the country by the Entebbe Airport immigration department.

The immigration officers could not comment on why the athlete Mohammed Ali Moustapha was denied entry. His team mates including an official Muhamed Abubaker Mahad were cleared.

According to the FASU games coordinator Hannington Musoke,Moustapha, a student from Mogadishu University arrived aboard an Air Uganda flight at 1pm. After three hours of waiting, the hospitality committee was told the student would not be joining his team mates.

“We failed to access the athlete as we did not know where he was,” said Musoke.

Somalia is among the 12 countries competing in the Africa Cross country championships at Entebbe golf course. Others are Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, DR Congo, Ghana and Nigeria

Last month, Archers from Somalia had their equipment confiscated at Mogadishu airport as they were travelling for an International Olympic Committee Archery seminar at Namboole Hotel.

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