The King of Swaziland, King Mswati III has made a
declaration in the country that from June 2019, men will
be required to marry at least five wives or go to jail.
A statement by the King called for all men in the country
to marry at least five wives, assuring the men that
government would pay for the marriage ceremonies and
buy houses for them.
“Here’s the deal, marry at least five wives and you’re assured that the government will pay for the marriage
ceremonies and buy houses for them.”
King Mswati warned that any man or woman who
opposes the decision “will face a life sentence”.
The order, according to IHarare, is to ensure every woman gets a husband as it is believed that men taking
more wives will help women get husbands.
The monarch noted that there are more women than men
in Swaziland which he noted was a very serious problem
for a country known to be full of virgins.
Reports say that the decision also came following the
increasing number of virgins and scarcity of men in the
country.
King Mswati himself has 15 wives and 25 children, while
his father and predecessor had more than 70 wives and
over 150 children.
