His Royal Majesty Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II has returned home after Namibia rejected his request to extend his stay for medical treatment, citing continued bad publicity.
The Kabaka had initially been granted a 90-day visa upon his arrival in April, but the Namibian government declined to extend it amidst allegations of a conspiracy to abduct the king.
The Kabaka jetted into Uganda last night with Ethiopian Airways. Only Buganda’s official broadcaster, BBS Television, was granted exclusive coverage of his arrival. The King was received at the airport by a select group of Buganda officials led by the Buganda Lukiiko Speaker, Owek. Luwaga Mugumbule, while the Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga and the Nabagereka, Lady Slyvia Nagginda, waited in the VVIP Lounge.
Since April, the Kabaka had been receiving treatment for an undisclosed condition at the Okonguarri Psychotherapeutic Centre in Namibia’s northwestern region of Kunene. The centre had recently requested a visa extension on his behalf, but Namibian immigration law stipulates a maximum stay of 90 days per year for foreign citizens.
The Namibian Ministry of International Relations denied the extension, citing adherence to immigration laws and recent protests by Ugandan activists at Namibian diplomatic missions. Ugandan demonstrators had protested at the Namibian High Commission in the UK, demanding transparency regarding the Kabaka’s extended stay and alleging a possible abduction.
In response, the Namibian government referred the matter to Buganda authorities. This led to a delegation of Buganda traditional chiefs (Abataka) traveling to Namibia to ascertain the king’s health, sparking diplomatic tensions and a stern rebuke from Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
“I request all Ugandans to stop embarrassing Uganda by opportunistically trying to show how much they are for the Kabaka,” President Museveni stated, criticizing the delegation’s unsanctioned visit. The delegation was questioned by Namibian officials about their authorization to visit the king. Their departure coincided with the release of a pre-recorded video of the Kabaka speaking about his improving health and expressing hope for his return.
A Namibian state official was quoted saying that it was “normal practice” for a foreign national who had stayed for 90 days to return to their country, emphasizing that there was nothing controversial about the decision. Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Henry Oryem Okello echoed this sentiment, stating, “Namibia has decided that they are not interested in this kind of bad publicity, and we should respect their position. We have to respect their rules and ways of life.”
The Kabaka’s return marks the end of a highly publicized and controversial stay in Namibia, leaving his subjects in Buganda and across Uganda eagerly awaiting updates on his health and future engagements.
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