Swaziland’s king Mswati has chosen a new 18-year-old fiancé, who he will marry as his 14th wife.
Mswati, who is 45 years old, discovered Sindiswa Dlamini from the Miss Cultural Heritage beauty pageant, in which she was a finalist. The young woman graduated from Mbabane St. Francis High School last year, according to Yahoo News.
As per the custom, the wedding will take place only after Mswati succeeds in getting Dlamini pregnant.
Out of Mswati’s 14 wives, three have recently left his household due to alleged abuse, according to the Global Post. One queen, LaGigi, left in 2012 saying she was physically harmed. Another, Ladube, claims she was beaten after being caught with another man. And in 2005, Mswati kidnapped a 16-year-old, who he then married as his wife.
Mswati announced his newest engagement at a festival this past weekend, which included a celebratory dance in which young virgins danced shirtless for his pleasure.
Mswati, who is sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, is often criticized for his lavish lifestyle, including private jets and a dozen palaces, while his subjects largely live in poverty.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
