Two African football fans had their road trip to Cairo, Egypt for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations cancelled after been denied visas to pass through Ethiopia.
South African Bafana Bafana football supporter Botha Msila and his Zimbabwe traveling partner Alvin Zhakata were stranded at the Kenya-Ethiopia boarder town of Moyale for three days after being denied visas by the Ethiopian authorities.
Msila and Zhakata had covered almost two thirds of their 11,000km (6,800 miles) road trip.
They had to cut short their trip on Sunday and returned to Nairobi to look for another mode of transport to Egypt or to go back home.
“I found that it is going to be difficult for us to pass through the border so I choose not to be a difficult person to other countries,” South African Msila indicated.
“I feel that it is better for me to go back to my country to get a visa… or take another mode of transport to go to Egypt.”
Ethiopia introduced visa immigration requirements for all Zimbabweans and South Africans travelling by road through the country starting in March this year, but there is a visa waiver for those travelling by air.
The duo had about 4,600km remaining across Ethiopia and Sudan before entering Egypt, where the African Cup of Nations will be played between June 21 and July 19.