Lawmakers in Equatorial Guinea have been banned from traveling abroad. They can only embark on foreign trips when approved by the country’s Vice President Teodorin Nguema Obiang.
The presidency said in an official notice that the directive is “on the grounds of national interest.”
The directive said MPs would have to first submit a request to travel abroad to the head of the National Assembly or the Senate.
That request will have to be approved “with the agreement of the vice president” who happens to be the president’s son.
Some lawmakers have confirmed that the directive was issued dated July 27, AFP reports. Civil servants have already been hit with such a travel ban this year.
There was a major crackdown recently on persons suspected to have attempted staging a coup. There are indications the latest move by the government is linked to that.
Restoring peace
Equatorial Guinea last month announced an amnesty for all political prisoners in the west African nation.
There have been several demands from political parties in the past for political prisoners to be released from detention.
The demand by the opposition parties was a major condition to enable them to partake in a national dialogue.
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema is hoping the move could open the doors for these parties to join his national dialogue.
Mr Obiang who came into power in a coup in 1979 has been waging a war against people he claims are plotting to overthrow him.
Source: Africafeeds.com
