By Emmanuel Nduka
The United States has suspended routine visa services for Zimbabwean citizens, citing national security and public safety concerns.
In a statement on Friday, the U.S. embassy in Harare confirmed that the directive came from Washington. The suspension, however, does not affect Zimbabweans who already hold valid U.S. visas.
The move follows a June State Department internal cable that recommended placing visa restrictions on several African countries over issues such as unreliable identity documents, weak passport security, and some governments’ refusal or reluctance to accept deported nationals.
Zimbabwe was among the countries named, along with Kenya, Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, and Nigeria.
In the same month, the U.S. imposed a travel ban on Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan, while also introducing tighter travel restrictions for citizens of Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
