The Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) have cancelled the 2019 Kuomboka Ceremony of the people of Barotseland. Delivering a press Statement in Limulunga this afternoon at 15:00hrs the Ngambela of Barotseland Mukela Manyando, stated that this year’s Kuomboka ceremony has been cancelled and it will not take place.

The cancellation of the ceremony has been attributed to insufficient water levels in the Barotse plains to facilitate the movement of the great ‘Nalikwanda’ barge from Lealui to Limulunga

Ngambela Manyando says the BRE regrets the cancellation of the annual traditional event, which also attracts regional and international tourists.

Ngambela Mukela said a survey conducted by the Kuomboka/Kufuluhela organising committee headed by Induna Mukwalwakashiko established that the water levels are not good enough for the event.

Kuomboka means moving from the flooded plains to the dry highlands and this depends on the depth of the water level in order to accommodate the Nalikwanda, the Litunga’s royal boat.

This year, Barotseland has been hit by a serious calamity of drought as most crops have dried up in many places including rice fields in the Barotse flood plains.