The Namibian government has rejected the extension of the visa of a Ugandan king due to his undisclosed medical treatment.
Since April of this year, King Mutebi II of Buganda has received treatment at the Namibian hospital. Based on his health condition at the beginning of this month, the centre where he stayed asked for an extension for his visa, VisaGuide.Worl reports.
However, according to Namibian immigration law, foreign nationals can stay there for only 90 days per year. Concerns about King Muteb come after he has been absent for several months, including missing his birthday celebrations. Last month, his family also revealed that the monarch traveled to Namibia on the recommendation of his doctors.
Ugandan Demonstrators Raised Signs Towards Their King’s Many-Month Absence
Recently, Uganda’s envoy to South Africa said that the Namibian authorities were unhappy about the harassment of their diplomatic officials regarding the king’s stay.
In May this year, there were protests at the Namibian High Commission in the United Kingdom, with Ugandan demonstrators demanding transparency about the king’s prolonged stay.
They demanded that information be revealed about the king’s whereabouts to dispel suspicions that he had been kidnapped. The Namibian government then referred the matter to the traditional authorities of Buganda.
Concerns About True State of King Mutebis’ Health Continued With the Visit of Traditional Chiefs of Buganda to Namibia
Regarding this concern, two weeks ago, Buganda traditional chiefs visited Namibia to reveal the truth about the king’s health, sparking diplomatic concerns and a rebuke from Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni.
I request all the Ugandans to stop embarrassing Uganda by opportunistically trying to show how much they are for the Kabaka.
Thus, Namibian officials detained the delegation, which they said had traveled without knowing the Kingdom of Buganda or the Ugandan authorities, and were briefly questioned. They were reportedly asked if they had authorization to see the monarch.
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.
Even though the king of Buganda had released a pre-recorded video in which he talked about his improving health and hoped he would return soon, the delegation had left again to visit him.
Moreover, Buganda authorities had yet to publicly announce the visa denial, while some reports said that five clan chiefs returned to Uganda on the night of July 12.