It was reported across the world (but not in Swaziland
where media are censored) that the Swazi Queens would be part of a group of 66
people travelling to the United States where they will stay in 10 luxury villas
at a cost estimated to be about R1,2 million. They will reportedly fly by
private jet at a possible cost of R36 million (US$4.6 million).
Although seven in ten of his subjects live in abject
poverty, earning less than US$2 a day, King Mswati, who is sub-Saharan Africa’s
last absolute monarch, spends lavishly. He has 13 palaces, one for each of his
wives, and fleets of BMS and Mercedes Benz cars. In April this year he received
a private jet as a birthday gift. The Swazi Government that he handpicks said
the plane was donated by an overseas’ well-wisher, but refused to name who it
was, leading to speculation that it was bought from public funds.
This week in Windheok at a state banquet hosted by
Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba, King Mswati said there was different
struggle today to liberate people. ‘It is the struggle to liberate our people
from poverty, disease and economic stagnation. I truly believe that if we
combine our efforts to sweep this struggle away from our doorsteps, we will
succeed in emancipating our people socially and economically.’
In Swaziland political parties are banned and any form of
public dissent is squashed by the King’s state forces. However, in his speech the
king praised the freedom fighters that had emancipated Namibia. ‘We
congratulate and salute those brave men and women who fought for the liberation
of this great nation. We all know that lives were lost but they were fighting
for a just cause,’ the Swazi Observer,
a newspaper that the king in effect owns, reported him saying.
See also
SWAZI QUEENS OFF ON SHOPPING SPREE
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