State Minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Oryem Okello has said that Ugandans must respect the decision made by Namibia to decline to extend Kabaka Ronald Mutebi’s stay in their country.
Oryem says that worldwide, each country has its own laws, which must be respected by everyone. However, he revealed that the decline might have been due to the bickering that has been ongoing since the Kabaka went to Namibia.
“Since Kabaka Mutebi went to Namibia, many people have turned the country into – as if it were a market where they enter as they wish. Namibia has decided that they are not interested in this kind of bad publicity, and we should respect the Namibian position,” Oryem said.
On Wednesday, the Namibian state media reported that the government had declined the visa extension request for the Kabaka.
The Kabaka had travelled to Namibia privately on medical grounds in April and had been recuperating at the Okonguari Psychotherapeutic Centre.
It was reported that the Executive Director at Okonguari Psychotherapeutic Centre, Dr Daleen de Lange, had requested a visa extension for the Kabaka, which was denied.
The Buganda Kingdom is yet to officially comment on the developments.
Meanwhile, about a week ago, the Buganda Clan Heads who had travelled to Namibia to check on the Kabaka were arrested by the authorities in Namibia. President Yoweri Museveni addressed the matter, accusing them of not following the right protocols. He said their actions embarrassed the country.
