The Namibian government has disclosed that it decided not to extend Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi’s visa due to threats posed by some “unscrupulous” Ugandans against Namibian diplomatic personnel abroad. Additionally, the Ugandan government’s lack of response contributed to this decision.
In a statement released on Friday, the Namibian Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security explained that the actions of certain individuals associated with the Kabaka significantly disrupted Namibia’s diplomatic missions and jeopardized the safety of its officials.
“These individuals organized protests at Namibia’s diplomatic missions globally, demanding the release of their King from detention. This not only endangered the security of Namibian personnel but also seriously interfered with the operations of our diplomatic missions,” the statement read.
The situation escalated when leaders from the Buganda clan (Bataka) traveled to Namibia to visit the ailing Kabaka. They were prevented from seeing him and were detained and questioned by Namibian authorities. This occurred after Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga had informed the Ugandan High Commission in South Africa about the Kabaka’s medical visit and requested that they coordinate with the Namibian government to ensure the Kabaka’s privacy and restrict unauthorized visits.
On May 31, 2024, the High Commission relayed the Kingdom’s requests to the Namibian government. Kabaka arrived in Namibia on April 14, 2024, for a private medical visit and was granted a maximum 90-day stay.
Despite the private nature of the visit, controversy arose with some Ugandans accusing the Namibian government of kidnapping the Kabaka in collaboration with Ugandan authorities, demanding his immediate release.
The Namibian government stated that these allegations were intended to damage Namibia’s reputation and harm the positive bilateral relations between the two nations. Namibia had reached out to Uganda to address these issues, but the disruptive behavior continued.
In a letter dated July 11, 2024, to Foreign Minister Gen. Jeje Odongo, President Museveni condemned the harassment of Namibian diplomatic missions by some Ugandans. He clarified that the Ugandan government was not involved in the Kabaka’s presence in Namibia and urged Ugandans to cease their disruptive actions. He also noted that if the harassment had occurred within Uganda’s jurisdiction, the government would have acted.
The Namibian government concluded that, due to the need to maintain good bilateral relations and ensure the security of its diplomatic staff, it was unable to extend the Kabaka’s visa. Both the Ugandan government and the Buganda kingdom were fully informed of this decision and the reasons behind it.
