The recent preventive arrest of five Buganda clan heads (Abataka) in Namibia has raised significant concerns regarding diplomatic relations and the medical privacy of Kabaka Ronald Mwenda Mutebi II.
The Kabaka has been receiving medical treatment at a facility in Okunguarri, Kunene Province, approximately 700 kilometers from Windhoek, Namibia.
According to officials, he is making a remarkable recovery.
The urge to establish the health condition of the Buganda's top most cultural leader - Kabaka drew five of the clan heads to embark on purposeful journey to Namibia that saw them placed under preventive arrest by the host state authorities..
Prior to this , on the side of Bataka, on May 30, 2024, the Katikkiro of Buganda, Charles Peter Mayiga, informed the High Commission of the Kabaka's presence in Namibia and requested the Namibian government to ensure his privacy and security.
In response, the High Commission communicated the kingdom's request on May 31, 2024.
However, concerns arose when some Ugandan nationals harassed Namibian diplomatic agents, alleging that their King had been kidnapped and exiled in Namibia.
The Namibian government, only aware of the Kabaka's presence through the media and the diplomatic note, requested that the Ugandan government addresses these claims.
The High Commission in Pretoria visited Windhoek on June 21, 2024, to thank the Namibian authorities for their support and to confirm the Kabaka's positive response to treatment.
Subsequently, on July 2, 2024, the High Commission briefed the Baganda community in Gauteng Province, South Africa, reassuring them of the Kabaka's safety and recovery.
The Kabaka also addressed his subjects through a prerecorded video message, confirming his improvement and expressing hope of returning home soon.
Despite these reassurances, five clan leaders from Buganda traveled to Namibia without informing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Uganda High Commission in Pretoria.
They sought to verify the Kabaka's condition themselves but lacked authorization from Mengo, the Kabaka's family, or his doctors.
The Namibian authorities reiterated that access to the Kabaka was not possible without the required permission.
On July 9, 2024, the clan leaders, acting against collective advice, traveled without authorization, prompting the Namibian authorities to apprehend them.
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They were stopped by Namibian police about 200 kilometers from Windhoek, driven back to the capital, and briefly questioned.
The Namibian authorities have serious concerns regarding this incident, and the Ugandan government is seeking guidance on how to proceed as they await the outcome of the situation.
The unfolding equally drew the attention of President Museveni who on July, 11, 2024 penned down a letter to the Foreign affairs minister Jeje Odongo putting to his attention a letter to the Permanent Secretary, Foreign Affairs from the High Commissioner of Uganda to South Africa and Namibia, informing him of the indiscipline of some Ugandans over the Kabaka's presence in Namibia.
"By the copies of this letter, I request all the Ugandans to stop embarrassing Uganda by opportunistically trying to show how much they are for the Kabaka. Apart from the Kabaka himself, the next level of authorization to visit him could be his family or whoever else he has authorized."
"These dramas are happening away from our jurisdiction. Otherwise, we would have taken action,"
