TO say the Mongu–Limulunga Road is in a bad state is perhaps an understatement!
Despite its significance in terms of being the link between Mongu and Limulunga, a place of great cultural significance that revolves around the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE), the road, which has several potholes and ‘trenches’, is simply one of Western Province’s ‘hell runs’.
The road, which is currently in a deplorable state, leads to the royal palace of the King of Barotseland, Litunga Imwiko II.
During the recently held Kuomboka traditional ceremony, which climaxed on April 10, the road was a hive of activity as it attracted both vehicular and human traffic.
At least 60,000 people were in attendance at the Kuomboka, according to estimates by the Ministry of Tourism.
Nonetheless, because the road is not tarred, thereby crippling facilities such as parking lots, local people in Limulunga district where the Kuomboka was taking place, took advantage of the situation to charge motorists K50 for each parking space within their homes.
Some people have even renamed the road as ‘treason road’ because of an infamous incident involving then political rivals Edgar Lungu and Hakainde Hichilema.
During this year’s commemoration of the Kuomboka , the Road Traffic and Safety Agency (RTSA) and State police, at least did their level best to control the smooth flow of traffic to and from Mongu into Limulunga during the week-long event.
Owing to the poor state of the road, some sections had to be resurfaced by a local contractor who was engaged by relevant authorities.
Water browsers were also seen on the stretch to suppress dust.
This was done in order to enable the ‘smooth’ passage of President Hichilema who was making a return to Western Province, this time as Head State, to officially attend this year’s Kuomboka ceremony. 
Mr Hichilema was making a return to Mongu to witness the Kuomboka after the infamous treason case five years ago in which the now President, who was then opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) leader, was accused of ‘endangering’ the life of then President Edgar Lungu.
On April 10, this year, as Mr Hichilema’s motorcade reached an area called Kalangu, where the allegedly ‘treason’ incident took place, the President stopped at the spot, thereby attracting attention from onlookers who had lined up the Mongu-Limulunga Road.
The only semblance of what once used to be a tarred road in the days gone by are patches of bitumen on sections of the road.
The situation during the Kuomboka was becoming chaotic at night as motorists were heading back to Mongu.
Owing to the poor state of the road, passenger transport operators took advantage of the Kuomboka and hiked fares from the usual K10 one way to between K30 and K50 into Limulunga.
The poor state of the Mongu-Limulunga Road is in sharp contrast to the 70 kilometre Mongu–Kalabo Road which is famed for its 26 bridges located on a 34km stretch.
The road is where the Lealui Village, where the Litunga boards the Nalikwanda from as he relocates to Limulunga.
It is worth noting that traditionalists in Zambia in particular and Africa in general regard traditional rulers as the true representatives of their people.
The traditional leaders are accessible, respected and legitimate and, therefore, still essential to governance matters.
This is the more reason why their palaces should have a good road network and mobile telecommunication as the Government strives to promote both local and foreign tourism.
In Zambia, there is a particularly strong connection between traditional authorities and local government leaders.
While the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) might not be enough to work on capital projects, such as inter-district roads, the Government, through the Road Development Agency (RDA), can still chip in so that major roads, such as the Mongu –Limulunga, get a facelift by upgrading them to bituminous standards.
Truthfully speaking, implementing the Public Private Partnership (PPP) on a road such as Mongu-Limulunga may not be feasible because the volume of traffic is only occasional, especially during the Kuomboka only.
The PPP can work best on roads such as Great North Road, Lusaka–Solwezi, Great East Road and Lusaka–Livingstone, among other economical routes.
As for the Mongu –Limulunga Road, which links travellers to the heart of Barotseland during the celebration of Kuomboka ceremony, the road is also an important link to Limulunga district, where visit various places of cultural significance, among them a museum which is located within the Lozi king’s palace.
It is in the museum where the rich cultural history of the Lozi dynasty is found.
Apart from that, Government institutions such as schools, health posts and a police post, are all found on the Mongu –Limulunga Road.
The latter is located within the environ of the palace.
These facilities, couples with the local community and visitors to the district, stand to benefit from a good network.
Resources permitting, the onus will be on the local leadership in Western Province and the Government to ensure that RDA quickly works on the Mongu-Limulunga Road.
This can also reduce accidents that occur due to poor roads.
The Mongu -Limulunga Road extends from Kapulanga junction to Nayuma royal harbour which has great cultural significance to the whole of Barotseland.