News

King Mswati Did Not Order Men To Have Two Or More Wives, Or Face Jail

1 Mins read

The government of eSwatini on Tuesday angrily denied viral online reports that King Mswati III, Africa’s last absolute monarch who has 14 wives, had ordered men to have at least two marriages or face jail.

The story, carried by the Zambian Observer and picked up by several other online publications, said that Swazi men would have to marry several wives starting from June.

As well as 14 wives, King Mswati has more than 25 children and a reputation for lavish spending while 63 percent of his 1.3 million subjects in the kingdom formerly known as Swaziland live in poverty.

The story, first published on Monday, said the government would sponsor marriage ceremonies and offer houses to men who entered into polygamous marriages.

It said the king “has declared in… Swaziland that men will from June 2019 be required to marry at least two or more wives or be jailed if they fail to do so”.

Government spokesman Percy Simelane called the story “malicious” and “poisonous”.

“His Majesty has not made any pronouncement to that effect as it has never been an issue raised,” by the people, Simelane said.

He said the story was “not only an insult to the monarchy and the culture of eSwatini but a disgrace to journalism”.

The government has demanded that the newspaper retract its story.

AFP

Related posts
News

URSB, Partners Launch Innovative Water Harvesting And Treatment Technology At Mengo School

2 Mins read
The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), in partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), have launched an innovative water harvesting and…
News

PPDA Approves Shs460bn Kyenjojo-Kamwenge-Bwizi Road Project

2 Mins read
In November 2024, the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) approved the Shs 460 billion project to upgrade the…
News

Uganda Signs Host Country Agreement To Establish African Water And Sanitation Academy

1 Mins read
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Gen. Odongo Jeje Abubakhar, today signed the Host Country Agreement with the African Water and Sanitation…