Namibia said Friday it had declined a visa extension to a Ugandan king visiting for medical treatment after rumours he had been abducted sparked protests that put at risk Namibian diplomatic staff abroad.
Buganda King Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II was granted a 90-day visa upon his arrival in April on a private medical visit, the Ministry of Home Affairs said.
But some of his supporters alleged that the Namibian and Ugandan governments had conspired to abduct him, it said.
The “unscrupulous subjects” organised demonstrations at Namibian embassies abroad to demand Mutebi’s release, the ministry said.
“This did 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,” it said, without specifying in which countries the protests took place.
Namibia said it had engaged with the Buganda royal family and Ugandan government but the “disruptive activities continued unabated”.
Ugandan media reported that five Buganda clan leaders were briefly detained after travelling to Namibia to check on their king earlier this month.
Windhoek said it was eventually pushed to decline a renewal when Mutebi’s visa expired. The monarch’s medical team, his palace and Ugandan authorities were “thoroughly briefed”.
The Ugandan government said it was notified of the decision, which would not affect the “excellent relations” between the two countries.
“The visit of King Mutebi to Namibia was purely private and the government had no hand in it except some individuals driven by selfish interests started politicizing it and holding demonstrations, which has embarrassed our country,” junior foreign affairs minister Henry Okello Oryem told AFP.
It was not immediately clear whether Mutebi, 69, who was receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment, had already left the country.
The Baganda make up the largest ethnic grouping in Uganda and their kingdom was granted considerable autonomy after independence from Britain in 1962.
However, independence leader Milton Obote outlawed tribal kingdoms and forced the king into exile.
The bush war that brought President Yoweri Museveni to power in 1986 was successful largely due to support from Buganda.
Mutebi occupies a largely ceremonial role but has previously had run-ins with Museveni, who has ruled over Uganda with an iron fist.
