The Namibian government has denied a request to extend the visa for King Mutebi II of Buganda, who has been in the country for medical treatment since April. The decision comes after Namibian authorities cited immigration laws that limit foreign citizens to a maximum stay of 90 days per year.
King Mutebi II, whose medical condition has not been disclosed, had his visa extension request submitted earlier this month by the medical facility where he is receiving treatment. However, the Namibian Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation declined the request, stating, “Having checked the records, I wish to inform you that the request for an extension is declined,” according to the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC).
The refusal to extend the visa follows reports of discontent among Namibian officials over protests by Ugandan activists at Namibian diplomatic missions. The Ugandan High Commissioner in South Africa recently noted that Namibian authorities were displeased with the harassment faced by their diplomatic staff due to the king’s stay in Namibia.
In May, Ugandan demonstrators protested at the Namibian High Commission in the UK, demanding transparency regarding King Mutebi’s extended stay and expressing suspicions about his whereabouts. These protests prompted the Namibian government to refer the issue to Buganda’s traditional authorities.
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Two weeks ago, a delegation of Buganda traditional chiefs traveled to Namibia to inquire about the king’s health, sparking diplomatic concerns and drawing criticism from Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. “I request all the Ugandans to stop embarrassing Uganda by opportunistically trying to show how much they are for the Kabaka [king],” President Museveni stated.
The Buganda delegation, reportedly traveling without authorization from the Buganda kingdom or Ugandan authorities, was briefly detained and questioned by Namibian officials, who sought to confirm their authorization to visit the monarch. This visit occurred despite King Mutebi addressing his subjects through a pre-recorded video, assuring them of his improving health and his hope to return soon.
A Namibian foreign relations officer, Erastus Hailwa, emphasized that the decision to deny the visa extension was standard procedure. “It is normal practice for a foreign national who had stayed for 90 days to return to their country. There is nothing controversial about that,” Hailwa said.
Uganda has indicated its intention to respect Namibia’s decision. “Namibia has decided that they are not interested in this kind of bad publicity, and we should respect their position,” Uganda’s Foreign Minister Henry Oryem Okello told the Monitor newspaper. “We have to respect their rules and ways of life. Since Kabaka went to Namibia, many people have turned the country into a market where they enter as they wish,” he added.
Buganda is the largest of Uganda’s four ancient kingdoms. Although these kingdoms hold no political power, they remain influential within the country.
