EFF leader Julius Malema has accused the British High Commission of intentionally blocking his visa application, preventing him from addressing the 11th Annual Cambridge Africa Together Conference at Cambridge University. Malema was scheduled to speak to students on May 10, 2025, at one of the university’s prestigious events.
The party has criticized the delay, calling it an attempt to suppress political dissent and undermine global solidarity against Western imperialism. According to the EFF, this refusal is a direct result of Malema’s outspoken criticism of the UK, particularly its role in colonial atrocities and its support for the ongoing Palestinian genocide.
The British authorities have denied me a visa to London for the Cambridge Conference this weekend, providing no substantial justification. It is clear to me that this is an attempt to silence a dissenting political perspective. We are currently at the OR airport, as we were…
— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) May 7, 2025
Malema was invited by the African Society of Cambridge University to discuss the theme “The Making of Africa’s Future Presidents,” which would have brought together policy makers, business leaders, economists, and academics from across the globe. The EFF believes the delay is a strategic move to silence Malema’s critical stance against figures like former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, who led the invasion of Iraq under false pretenses.
The party claims that the UK’s actions are a response to Malema’s condemnation of the British monarchy, which they say continues to be responsible for colonial violence and the oppression of African nations. The refusal, according to the EFF, is also tied to the monarchy’s lingering influence over political processes in the UK.
The EFF’s Statement on the Deliberate Failure by the British High Commission to Process the Visa Application of CIC Julius Malema for an Address at Cambridge University
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) May 7, 2025
-The United Kingdom is not only suppressing academic freedom by essentially banning the President of the EFF… pic.twitter.com/CC8xkbjuUO
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