THE Parliament of Eswatini (Swazi: Libandla) which consists of two chambers; The Senate (Upper Chamber) (Indlu yeTimphunga) and the House of Assembly (Lower Chamber) passed yesterday that King Mswati III will be allowed to marry 14-year-old virgins reducing the age from 17.

Eswatini elders have pushed for this move urging that at age 14, King Mswati will get a morally upright virgin befitting Queen’s title as most girls start getting loose at the age of 15.

Eswatini parliament has urged that most girls from age 15 are in a sorry state hence not fit for a King.

Elders have deliberately ignored the age bracket of 18 years saying that in previous years girls have shown signs of not keeping their virginity until that age.

“It is clear that our King must marry a virgin.A King is not allowed to enter where other souls have entered according to our custom.

“It should be the King’s responsibility to break the virginity of a girl and no man should do it for him,” Elder Muyoti explained.

King Mswati III inspecting his 15 wives
The picking is a cultural process reserved only for the king which occurs once a year, during the Reed Dance ceremony where over 100 000 dance before the king and the nation to celebrate their virginity.

During this event, the king is expected to choose one maiden whom he later marries by Swazi law and custom, which allow men to marry as many women as they please.

The king has deliberately abandoned picking a maiden during some of the past years’ events for reasons known to royalty.

If he had been picking every year he would be having 29 wives and one fiancee by now, because he has seen 30 Reed Dance ceremonies since he was coronated into power in 1986.

— Afrikan Daily