The ceremony, famously known for the Gule-wa-Mkulu masquerade (also known as Nyau) performances, took place yesterday, 31st of August 2019, and the BRE Induna are expected back in Barotseland later in the week.
Last year, the Litunga of Barotseland, Imwiko II, had graced the annual Kulamba ceremony as the royal guest of honour in a reciprocal royal gesture after his counterpart, Gawa Undi, had graced Barotseland’s premier water festival, the Kuomboka, earlier in the year.
Kuomboka is the movement of the Litunga, King of Barotseland, and his people from his flooded royal capital of Lealui in the Barotse flood plains to the higher ground of Limulunga, where he resides until the water levels have subsided for his majesty’s return trip in another ceremony known locally as Kufuluhela.
During the Kuomboka and its reverse journey, Kufuluela, the King moves in a very big royal barge, the Nalikwanda, paddled by specially trained royal paddlers of up to 200 in the most recent Kuomboka, all dressed in fashionable royal gear.
Although Barotseland’s Kuomboka ceremony did not take place this year, 2019, due to a severe drought in Barotseland, the Litunga was able to send a delegation of BRE Induna (Ministers) led by the honourable Induna Iñunde, who is the minister in charge of foreign relations, to celebrate with the Chewa people during their Kulamba annual ceremony.
Ms Irene Muyenga is the first female to hold such a high office of Senior Induna at the Namuso Kuta, Barotseland’s central government house, where she was sworn in at a ceremony held at the Limulunga royal Kuta towards the end of 2016.
His Majesty, the Litunga Imwiko II, is now setting the pace to include more women in his cabinet who will hold senior offices and perform higher responsibilities.
MORE ABOUT IRENE M. MUYENGA, Manager Director/CEO
Ms Irene Muyenga is currently the Managing Director of Savenda General Insurance Limited, a fast-growing and dynamic insurance company. She has been in the insurance industry for almost 30 years having held the position of Group Managing Director of ZSIC Ltd for 10 years. She has previously held membership on Boards of NAPSA, ZIBCT, NHBT, UNZA among others and has further served on international organizations as Chairperson, President and Vice-Chairperson for the Organisation of Eastern and Southern Africa Insurers (OESAI), African Insurance Organisation (AIO) and ZEP-RE (PTA Reinsurance Company) respectively.
Currently, Ms Muyenga holds membership on Boards of several private and public sector companies notably ZAMBEEF, BARCLAYS, ZAMBEZI RE, and MULUNGUSHI UNIVERSITY. She has a wealth of experience in insurance, business management, and Corporate Governance.
She is a fellow of the Zambia Institute of Bankers and Financial Services and an Associate Member of Insurance Institute of Zambia.
Pictures (Edited by Mukela, Barotseland Post), are courtesy of BBN - Barotseland Broadcasting Network, social media.
