King Mswati III denies ordering Eswatini men to marry more wives
The government of Eswatini (Swaziland) has denounced media reports that King Mswati III has ordered for the arrest of men in the country who fail to marry more than one wife starting June 2019.
The story, which was first published by the Zambian Observer, and picked up by several other online publications, claimed that Swazi men have been compelled by the government to marry more wives.
The said story also said the Eswatini government would sponsor marriage ceremonies and offer houses to men who entered into polygamous marriages.
INSULT
But in a press statement dated May 13, 2019, the Eswatini government termed the reports as not only an “insult to the Monarchy and the culture of Eswatini but a disgrace to journalism.”
The Eswatini government is also demanding that the Zambian Observer newspaper retracts the said story.
King Mswati III has 14 wives and more than 25 children and a reputation for a lavish lifestyle.