Buganda Royal Family Apologizes to Namibian Government as Kabaka Returns Home

Buganda Kingdom monarch Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II has returned to Uganda after three months in Namibia. After the Kabaka’s return, the Royal Family apologized to the Government of the Republic of Namibia for the conduct of some of the king’s subjects, which threatened diplomacy between Kampala and Windhoek.

On the advice of his doctors, the Kabaka has been in Namibia receiving treatment. But back home in Buganda, there was noise by some subjects who were piling pressure of the kingdom’s prime minister, Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga, to quickly make the Kabaka return home. Despite Katikkiro Mayiga’s explanation, some remained adamant, advancing theories on the king’s health.

These subjects, who the Namibian Government’s Home Affairs Ministry, described as “unscrupulous,” were the same people who had been accusing Katikkiro Mayiga of failing to ensure that the Kabaka receives better treatment abroad. Clearly, Mayiga has been in a tough situation, having to explain the Kabaka’s health condition, and to silence those who oppose him and his way of running things.

The return of the Kabaka comes as relief to the Kingdom – the royal family, the subjects and Katikkiro Mayiga – as the king’s absence from the kingdom for the past three months has created anxiety and given chance to speculators to make allegations against the Katikkiro and on the health condition of the king who leads the biggest and one of the most vibrant kingdoms on the African continent.

Aware of what some subjects had said – including claims that the Namibian government had detained the Kabaka (which outrageous allegation have been proven to be false) – the Buganda Royal Family has apologized to Windhoek for the indiscipline of some of the Kabaka’s subjects who caused diplomatic unease between Uganda and Namibia.

On behalf of the Buganda Royal Family, Prince Crispin Jjunju Kiweewa thanked the Namibian government for the services, security and hospitality rendered to the Kabaka in the three months the king was in Namibia. Prince Jjunju said Namibia was “a very good country,  calm and full of blessings.”

“This is why the Kabaka chose to go for treatment and to have some rest. It is very unfortunate that some selfish people spread rumors and did things that tarnished Namibia’s image,” the prince continued. “As the Royal Family, we apologize to the Government of Namibia for the commotion these few people intentionally caused.”

The Kabaka would have remained in Namibia a little longer if the government in Windhoek had granted his visa extension request beyond the mandatory 90 days. But the Namibian Ministry of Home Affairs has explained its decision not to extend the Kabaka’s visa, including concerns over the security of its diplomatic missions and staff as well as its reputation that Windhoek claimed was being tarnished by some of the Kabaka’s unscrupulous subjects. (See Details Here).

The diplomatic unease caused by some of the Kabaka’s subjects – including clan heads (or abataka) – was so much that it caused President Yoweri Museveni to come out and rebuke them to stop embarrassing Uganda abroad, after the Namibian Government informed Kampala of its concerns on hosting the King of Buganda. (Read Story Here).