A ZIMBABWEAN chief has been refused a visa to visit Abergavenny to officially open this year's World Trade Fair.

Chief Chinamhora was refused a visa by the Home Office to visit the UK to open David and Martha Holman's popular event on October 3.

The couple had been hoping that the chief would be present as a special guest to open the event and was specially invited by Abergavenny Town Council.

He was due to be presented to the Mayor, Norma Watkins and to exchange traditional gifts with her from Zimbabwe.

The couple had also arranged for the chief to talk at various events during his visit.

He was due to talk at the Welsh Assembly, Abergavenny Methodist Church, Fairtrade Wales and to Oxfam Wales as well as to local councillors.

Martha said, "The Home Office has said in its refusal that they were unsure whether the chief would return to Zimbabwe.

"This is plainly ridiculous as he has been the traditional chief of a large district in Zimbabwe for 25 years and has no intention of staying in the UK.

"He also has a large family in Zimbabwe and a traditional family home.

"The chief's appointment is totally non - political and his talks would have been of great interest to the various groups with whom we had organised talks."

The couple have now taken the case up with local MP, David Davies, who is attempting to bring about a review of the decision.

Martha's son, Taurai who runs Love Zimbabwe in the country has also been refused a visa which has upset Martha greatly.

The Wales World Trade Fair, however is going ahead as usual.

This year it will be in the Guild Hall, Brecon on Saturday, October 2 and in the Market Hall, Abergavenny on Sunday, October 3.

David and Martha will be talking on BBC Radio Wales during the week leading up to the event and will have a live link up with local author and poet, Owen Sheers and campaigner Peter Tatchell whom they met recently at the Greenbelt Festival in Cheltenham.

Mr Tatchell was impressed by Martha's questions to him at his talk at the festival, and has promised to help Love Zimbabwe in the future.

He was of course famous for performing a citizen's arrest on Robert Mugabe a few years ago.

This weekend, David and Martha (pictured) will be running their usual African Green Village in Market St at the Abergavenny Food Festival.

This is the fourth year they have organised this event and it continues to grow in popularity.

Martha will lead children of Our Lady and St. Michael's School in an African dance, with drumming which starts from the Angel Hotel at 1pm and proceeds down Market Street, ending up in the Market St yard.

Martha also has plans to undertake a barefoot walk on December 12 from Brecon to Abergavenny to raise money and awareness for the plight of women in Zimbabwe.