SWAZI KING DIRECTS MEN TO MARRY MORE WIVES OR RISK JAIL TERMS.

Mbabane, ESWATINI:

King Mswati III of eSwatini has without mincing words stated that men will be required to marry at least two or more wives or be jailed if they fail to do so starting in June 2019.

Mswati III (born as Prince Makhosetive on 19 April 1968) is the King of eSWATINI(SWAZI).
He was born in Manzini, Eswatini, to King Sobhuza II and one of his younger wives, Ntfombi Tfwala .
He was crowned as Mswati III, Ingwenyama and King of Swaziland , on 25 April 1986 at the age of 18, thus becoming the youngest ruling monarch in the world at that time. Together with his mother, Ntfombi Tfwala, now Queen Mother ( Ndlovukati), he rules the country as an absolute monarch.

The king, who has 15 wives and 25 children, and his father and predecessor having more than 70 wives and 150+ children revealed that eSwatini is facing a very serious problem as there are more women than men in his country - husband scarcity.

In a statement, king Mswati called for all men in the country to marry at least five wives and the government assured the men that it would pay for the marriage ceremonies and buy houses for them

Marriage is seen as a symbol of pride in many African cultures, where increase in population has had significant impact on poverty levels and economic growth. This new directive is a step back in time.

The king believes taking more wives will help women get husbands. Women are still regarded as sex objects meant only for procreation in many cultures and getting married is the ultimate for social acceptance.

The country which is known to be full of virgins, is also said to have more women than men. Polygamy has caused considerable amount of instability in many homes where it is being practiced. Strife, violence, rejection and poverty and depriving the young ones education have backgrounded its function of communal fraternity.

Here's the deal, marry at least five wives and you're assured that the government will pay for the marriage ceremonies and buy houses for them.

King Mswati warned that any man or woman who opposes the decision “will face a life sentence”.


“In our culture, once you marry someone, there is no turning back,”
the King said  at 2017 Easter ceremony , according to a local paper, Times of Swaziland.
"There is no word for “divorce” in Siswati, the official language of Swaziland"
 the king added.

A bill presented to Eswatini's in  Parliament in 2018 provided that the subjects of King Mswati wishing to marry a citizen of another country must pay the Ministry of the Interior a sum of 30,000 lilangeni ($2,200).

The law aimed to protect Swazi women from any manipulation or abuse by their foreign partners, who marry them for the sole purpose of obtaining our nationality.
“This law aims to protect Swazi women from any manipulation or abuse by their foreign partners, who marry them for the sole purpose of obtaining our nationality,”
said government spokesman Percy Simelane.