Hundreds of Swazi women have marched through the streets of the capital to protest about a shopping trip taken by nine of the king's 13 wives.

They chartered a plane last week to go to Europe and the Middle East.

The BBC's Thulani Mthethwa says the protesters handed in a petition to the finance ministry saying the money could have been better spent.

"We can't afford a shopping trip when a quarter of the nation lives on food aid," they chanted.

Swaziland, Africa's last absolute monarchy, is one of the poorest countries in the world and more than 40% of the population is believed to be infected with HIV.


The march was organised by Positive Living, a non-governmental organisation for women with Aids.

Our correspondent says there was a cross-section of women on the march from professionals to rural representatives.

"We need to keep that money for ARVs [anti-retrovirals]," was another slogan shouted by the women.

King Mswati III, 40, has been criticised in the past for requesting public money to pay for new palaces, a personal jet and luxury cars.

News of his wives' trip broke in the local press a day after they left, our reporter says.

Earlier this week, senior princes warned the women not to march, saying it defied Swazi tradition.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7574824.stm

This is just SHEER JEALOUSY ! If they were to be in their position they would do like wise !

the ladies are beautiful but someone needs to stop this king who knows nothing about kingship except how to rule over women.

Did anyone force these women to marry him and be controlled. They chose to. I know atleast one cheated on him and ran away in fear for her life. Odes

Oba ile Ilemukun, Ikun Ekiti dares not spend the people's money like this . . . . . by the time them don finish using juju on his head, he'll be the one begging people to take money.

a country with a high HIV and unemployment rate has a promiscous and corrupt president/Monarch. what a shocker!!!!!1

Ruby_Pearl:

Oba ile Ilemukun, Ikun Ekiti dares not spend the people's money like this . . . . . by the time them don finish using juju on his head, he'll be the one begging people to take money.

Our own royalty spend money on their manhood.
There's nothing left for trips.
see this


Royal father splashes N.72m on sex drugs
BARRY OSA AGANIGBI, Asaba
http://www.champion-newspapers.com/n, le4_250808.htm

Traditional ruler of Oghara Kingdom in Ethiope West local government area of Delta State, His Highness, Issac Umokoro, spends an average of N720,000 annually or N60,000 monthly on sex enhancing drugs.

The monarch who said this in an interview with Daily Champion, explained that the continued use of the drugs has enabled him satisfy his many wives sexually.

The 79-year old Ovie of Oghara who was installed as Monarch on September 1, 1979, also canvassed constitutional roles for royal fathers in the country.

Said He: "I am still strong on bed. I take tablets and water, they help to give me power. My doctors in Abuja and Benin recommended the drugs for me.

"I may be old at 79 but I am still very active sexually. I spend over N60,000 monthly or N15,000 weekly on sex drug. You know, I have many wives…two of them in their early 20s.’

$600 worth of viagra like medications a month for the ovie?

i dont know if he should be pitied or stoned to death for wasting such amt on such stuff. i thing for sure is that he has no shame as a traditional ruler, defender of african culture and values to come to the public with such obnoxious tale to corrupt the younger generation, phew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lol! Life don spoil!!
This is kind of gross, a 79 yr old man, c'mon! His time is over na.

For the info that I know, our king of our village is my grandpa's brother.
So the only money he uses (that I know of) is to ask my elder aunt to arrange a trip to America.
This ^boring convention is made, where Ekitis in USA are suppose to come and greet him.
All in all, atleast he does not waste our money sha.
The man is smart, if I tell you sef, how rampant juju is there

Ruby_Pearl:

lol! Life don spoil!!
This is kind of gross, a 79 yr old man, c'mon! His time is over na.

For the info that I know, our king of our village is my grandpa's brother.
So the only money he uses (that I know of) is to ask my elder aunt to arrange a trip to America.
This ^boring convention is made, where Ekitis in USA are suppose to come and greet him.
All in all, atleast he does not waste our money sha.
The man is smart, if I tell you sef, how rampant juju is there

Juju is as common in nigeria as hamburgers are in America.
Every area of Naija has juju
That's why I laugh when some idiots come here and call igbos ritualists.

Queenisha:

Juju is as common in nigeria as hamburgers are in America.
Every area of Naija has juju
That's why I laugh when some idiots come here and call igbos ritualists.

There are two different things . Being a juju man is different from being a ritualist !

big father:

There are two different things . Being a juju man is different from being a ritualist !

ritual no be for the same deparment of juju?
looks like we have specialists on jujuology in nairaland.
Please educate me
I'm completely clueless

Queenisha you are right.

hahahahahahaha

olodumare

what is juju?  -- Is that a scientific term?    please expatiate this strange words for intellectuals and outsiders like me oo

man, those girls are beautiful.

Nella:

what is juju? -- Is that a scientific term? please expatiate this strange words for intellectuals and outsiders like me oo

juju is basically black magic, voodoo and the like.
It's called juju in Nigeria

lmao,
u actually though I meant that question? lol,

Ah ah, I feel sorry for those women o. See who they had to marry

king's wives no bad ooooooooooooooooooo