The Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) has announced the postponement of the holding of the 2016 Kuomboka Ceremony, which was tentatively slated for April, to until ‘further notice’.
In an announcement broadcasted on Mongu’s Oblate Radio Liseli and monitored by social media network, BWD, the BRE announced that the ceremony has been ‘pushed further on to an unknown date’.
The traditional authority attributed the change to the recent demise of Princess Ngula Makoshi, the Litunga Lubosi Imwiko II’s elder sister who died on Tuesday in Lusaka.
The Kuomboka – Kufuluhela Committee last Friday held a fundraising walk in Mongu in the quest to mobilize resources for the successful holding of the ceremony.
The most Senior Princess, MAKOSHI, Mukwae Akakulubelwa Batunda IMWIKO died the morning of Tuesday, February 17th 2016 around 9:00 Hrs in Lusaka at Nkhaza Hospital. Funeral gathering has been held in Limulunga Royal Village at MAKOSHI residential house near the Limulunga Royal palace and the deceased is yet to be put to rest.
The annual Kuomboka ceremony has, in recent years, failed to take place for various reasons ranging from political dissention to low water levels and royal family bereavements. Here below are the affected Kuomboka ceremonies since 2011 after the indiscriminate killing of 19 unarmed Barotse people by Zambia police on 14th January, 2011 so called Mongu riots.
2011 – Rupiah Banda government sponsors Kuomboka ceremony under duress, three months after the murder of the unarmed Barotse who had desired to peacefully gather for consultation with their royal authorities on the way forward concerning the defunct Barotseland Agreement of 1964. Mr Rupiah Banda personally officiated at that Kuomboka as president of Zambia.
2012 – No Kuomboka ceremony was held as Barotseland decides on political independence from Zambia. The historic March 27th Barotse National Council (BNC) unanimously resolved to officially accept the 1969 Zambian government abrogation and annulment of the Barotseland agreement of 1964 which stipulated provisions for Barotseland’s existence as part of the newly independent state of Zambia.
2013 – The Zambian government again imposed Kuomboka, although the water levels were very low and political discontent still high. Then president of Zambia, Michael Sata, could not attend the ceremony in spite of having gone to Barotseland on two separate occasions (a visit to the Litunga at the royal palace and another visit to Lukulu) that same week, allegedly to pressure the Barotse Royal Establishment to hold the ceremony. The ceremony was finally officiated by then Zambia Vice President Guy Scott.
2014 – Her Royal Highness, the Mooyo Imwambo of Barotseland, the Litunga’s spouse, dies creating a Royal bereavement. Under Lozi customs, a Kuomboka could not be held under such circumstances.
2015 – Kuomboka could not be held for reasons ranging from political dissatisfaction, low water levels, and the Litunga not yet having a spouse. The Litunga’s spouse, Her Royal Highness, the Mooyo Imwambo of Barotseland, is a principal participant as she must ride in the royal barge designated for her, the Notila, during the Kuomboka voyage alongside the Nalikwanda, the Litunga’s royal barge.
2016 – The Litunga’s sister dies creating a royal funeral which leaves the Kuomboka ceremony hanging in the balance. Inside reports were that the Zambian government was to fully sponsor the 2016 Kuomboka whether or not the water levels in the Zambezi River would be sufficient for the journey, a move many Barotseland independence analysts accused was political, to show that Zambia was still in charge of Barotseland.
Barotselan Post