The King of Swaziland, who recently decided to rename the country into the Kingdom of Swatini, has virtually unlimited power. A state smaller than the US state of New Jersey is the last absolute monarchy in Africa. Swaziland has the highest HIV / AIDS prevalence in the world, with an average life expectancy of 54 years for men and 60 for women.
Origin and early biography of Mswati III
Mswati III is by birth a special monarch, the second son of King Sobhus II. After the death of the latter from pneumonia, Mswati was elected the successor of the deceased. Until the end of the monarch’s studies in Great Britain, power was actually in the hands of the regent - Queen Dzelive Shongwe, Prince Sozis Dlamini and Queen Ndlovukati Ntfombi. He became crown prince in September 1983, crowned in 1986. Mswati restored the parliament, although he is the last absolute monarch in Africa.
The personal life of the king of the last African monarchy
Mswati III, whose title, “Nguyenyama”, is translated as “lion,” currently has 15 wives and 25 children. This is quite a bit compared to his own father. Sobkhuz II, the supreme leader, and then the king who ruled 82 years (the longest term of government), reliably knows that there were 70 wives, and according to other sources - as many as 125! He had 210 children (in 2000, 97 were alive) and more than a thousand grandchildren (at the time of death). Mswati III is currently the father of 25 children. By the way, once Msvati said that he was going to break his father’s record for the number of wives.
There are two conditions that relate to the personal life of the King of Swaziland. The first two wives of the monarch are chosen by the council, while the second must be from the Motsa clan. The marriage of Msvati III to his eighth wife and the abduction of the tenth wife received great public response .
The King of Swaziland, in response to the spread of HIV / AIDS, introduced a ban on sexual relations with girls under the age of majority (21 years old). For violation of this law, a fine was imposed - one cow or $ 152 in equivalent. A few weeks after the introduction of such a ban, the king married a minor, but he fined himself for one cow. Initially, the law was planned to be introduced for five years, but was repealed a year earlier, faced with a negative reaction from part of the local population.
The king himself and his family regularly pass AIDS tests. According to statistics, 40% of the population is infected with the virus. International observers and journalists claim that he does nothing to improve the situation.
In 2011, the King of Swaziland broke up with one of his chosen ones. The woman cheated on the monarch with the Minister of Justice of Swaziland. Since 2010, the queen was placed under house arrest, and the minister (after the publication of the photographs) was dismissed and arrested with a scandal.
Popular discontent with power
King Swaziland Mswati III has been repeatedly accused of plundering the state treasury for his own needs and the needs of his 12 wives. Police using special means dispersed the rallies. Thirteen participants in the rally against the government were arrested. The people accused the king not without reason. Mswati III is the richest man in the country, runs a national welfare fund, where all citizens must make contributions from time to time.
Interesting facts about the king and his country
Fifteen years ago, the King of Swaziland (photo above in the article) accused the famous writer Sarah Mkhnoza of treason, for which the latter was forced to leave the country. Sarah Mkhnoza was also accused of mocking local traditions.
Absolutism has reached such a scale that on all Swaziland banknotes issued after 1986, only the king and no one else are depicted. Mswati III not only holds the highest post in the country, but is also the chancellor of the University of Swaziland.
Other most interesting facts about the kingdom:
- There are two capitals in the country - Lobamba and Mbabne.
- About a quarter of Swaziland's land is suitable for farming.
- Swaziland borders only two states.
- The country became independent only in 1968 (from Great Britain).
- The country has two official languages - Swazi (the language of a local tribe) and English.
- About 40% of the population of Swaziland is unemployed.
- The whole country has less than 20 hospitals with a population of more than 1.1 million people.
This is how this little kingdom lives.