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NEWS
02 November 2004

Zimbabwean gospel diva Fungisai Zvakavapano denied UK visa
The singer was last week denied entry into the United Kingdom where she was billed to perform at three concerts.

Zvakavapano was refused admission to the country by British Embassy officials despite getting a work permit from the Home Office in Britain.

London-based Zimbabwe news website, newzimbabwe.com, quoted a British Embassy official citing several reasons for refusing Fungisai a visa, including fear that she might not return to Zimbabwe after her tour. "Taking into account your circumstances as known to me and the current socio-economic circumstances where the official unemployment rate is 70% and the official inflation rate approximately 400% and the widely reported political circumstances in Zimbabwe, I am not satisfied on the balance of probabilities, that you intend to leave the United Kingdom on completion of this visit," Ken Arundel, an entry clearance officer wrote in a letter to Fungisai.

The visa would have enabled Fungisai to travel to England where she was billed to share the stage with South African gospel artistes Vuyo Mokoena and Lundi from October 15-17 in Birmingham, Bradford and Milton Keynes.

Story from AllAfrica.com

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