Namibia’s Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security has clarified the non-extension of the visa of His Royal Highness Ronald Mutebi II, King (Kabaka) of the Buganda Kingdom

The Kabaka entered Namibia on April 14, 2024, for a private medical visit and was stationed at an undisclosed location in the country on a 90-day visa, but his stay generated controversy among his subjects, who alleged he was being illegally detained.

“Some of the unscrupulous subjects of Buganda Kingdom started organising and having demonstrations at Namibia’s Diplomatic Missions around the world, demanding for Namibia to unconditionally release the Kabaka from detention,” said Executive Director of Migration, Mr Etienne Maritz, in a statement released on Friday.

He says that despite engaging with Ugandan authorities and the Royal family, the disruptive activities continued.

“Their actions threatened the security of Namibian diplomatic officials in the process, which is not allowed under international law. As a sovereign state, we have the right to implement our laws and international law. We cannot extend the King’s visa due to security considerations and the need to maintain order,” Maritz emphasised.

He added that the ministry has been in contact with the King’s Palace, his medical team, and Ugandan authorities, briefing them on the non-extension of his visa.

“We are unable to extend Kabaka’s visa. We value our relations with Uganda and the Buganda Kingdom but must prioritise our laws and security,” Mr Maritz concluded.

Below is the statement

” NON-EXTENSION OF VISA FOR HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS RONALD MUTEBI 11, KING OF THE BUGANDA KINGDOM

The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security hereby provides clarity on the non-extension of the Visa of His Royal Highness Ronald Mutebi Il, King of the Buganda Kingdom.

His Royal Highness Ronald Mutebi Il, entered Namibia on 14 April 2024, on a private medical visit and was stationed at an undisclosed location in the country. In terms of Section 29 of the Immigration Control Act, 1993 (Act No. 7 of 1993), His Royal Highness was granted a maximum stay of ninety (90) days applicable to non-Namibians.

Whilst the visit of His Royal Highness Mutebi Il was purely private, it generated much controversy with some of his Subjects, who seem not to have been briefed about the travels of His Royal Highness. Subsequently, those subjects then started making allegations that His Royal Highness was being illegally detained in Namibia, that the Namibian Government conspired with the Ugandan authorities in abducting His Royal Highness, and thus demanded his unconditional release from detention in Namibia.

Some of the unscrupulous Subjects of the Buganda Kingdom started organising and having demonstrations at Namibia’s Diplomatic Missions around the world, demanding for Namibia to release their King from detention and thereby threatening the security of Namibian diplomatic officials in the process, which is not allowed under international law. This not only put at risk the security of Namibia’s personnel abroad but interfered greatly with the operations and security of Namibia’s diplomatic missions.

Such malicious allegations were not only meant to tarnish Namibia’s respected reputation and standing in the eyes of the international community but were also meant to undermine the good bilateral relations that exist between the two countries.

The Government of the Republic of Namibia explained that the visit of His Royal Highness was purely private, and did not have an intention to interfere with his medical visit. Furthermore, since these unscrupulous elements started disrupting the operations at our Diplomatic Missions, Namibia engaged the Ugandan authorities as well as the Royal family and expected them to call these unscrupulous elements to order. Nevertheless, their disruptive activities continued unabated.

As such, based on the good bilateral relations between the two countries and peoples, the security considerations of our diplomatic staff, in line with Namibia’s laws, and by international law, (Immigration Regulations), the Government of the Republic of Namibia is unable to extend the Visa of His Royal Highness Ronald Mutebi Il, King of the Buganda Kingdom. The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security through the Ministry of International Relations and

Cooperation has been in contact with His Royal Highness Mutebi Il’s Palace, his Medical Team in Namibia, as well as with the Ugandan Authorities, and they were thoroughly briefed on the non-extension of the visa and the reasons there-off. Namibia is a Sovereign State and has the right to implement the laws of the Republic of Namibia and international law.