It's not every day that the last remaining absolute monarch in Africa strolls through Europe, a sort of god-king known for being one of the most extravagant in the world. And that's exactly what Mswati III, the almighty sovereign of Eswatini - a small nation nestled between Mozambique and South Africa, formerly known as Swaziland - has been doing in recent days, embarking on official visits to Italy and Serbia before heading to Samoa, where he is participating in the Commonwealth Summit this weekend alongside leaders like King Charles III. The highlight of his tour has been the introduction of his soon-to-be 16th wife to society. A marriage surrounded by controversy, both within and beyond the kingdom's borders.
The lucky lady is Nomcebo Zuma, one of the daughters of former South African President Jacob Zuma, who held office from 2009 to 2018, when he fell from grace due to corruption scandals, remaining a prominent figure in local politics. At 21 years old, Nomcebo became engaged to King Mswati, as publicly announced at the latest Reed Dance Festival, held in the summer at the Royal Residence of Ludzidzini, the famous virginity ceremony where thousands of teenagers and young women dance semi-nude before the monarch, a traditional ceremony hardly digestible to Western eyes but deeply rooted as an initiation rite in Eswatini, also serving for the king to choose a new wife from the dancers almost every year.
On this occasion, Nomcebo Zuma's sensual moves, her obvious beauty, and youthful vigor were not the only reasons behind the royal engagement. It was immediately perceived as a political alliance between Mswati III and the Zuma clan, who belong to the highly significant Zulu ethnicity, in a new attempt by the Eswatini sovereign to secure his position on the throne during turbulent times marked by pro-democracy uprisings in the country. So much so that a Palace spokesperson, in an unusual move, had to come out to dispel rumors, emphasizing with little success that "love has no eyes to see or to tell the truth", alluding to the 56 years that the portly Mswati has compared to the youthfulness of his fiancée.
Polygamy is widely accepted in the region. Mswati's late father, King Sobhuza II, had up to 70 wives and 210 children. Even the monarch's new father-in-law, the aforementioned Jacob Zuma, has been married six times. However, the love story of our absolute monarch is quite grim. As reported in the media in recent years, several of his queens have attempted to flee the country; the seventh of his wives died by suicide from an overdose of antidepressants; and at least one other queen accused the monarch of abuse before an international women's rights organization. Being married to Mswati is far from a bed of roses, despite ensuring many luxuries in a nation where the vast majority of the 1.2 million inhabitants live below the poverty line. That doesn't deter the wealthy monarch from lavish spending. In fact, local media have reported that the sovereign's tour with his fiancée, accompanied by a large entourage, fit for a king in every sense, has cost a whopping 10 million euros to the struggling coffers of Eswatini.
Mswati III and Nomcebo Zuma, received by the Pope at the Vatican
Last week, Mswati and his fiancée traveled to Europe to participate, first, in the World Food Forum (FAO) held in Rome. Their stay in Italy was also an opportunity for the controversial sovereign to introduce his new wife to the Pope. Although Mswati is not a Catholic, he belongs to a Christian Episcopal Church, and the nation has maintained diplomatic relations with the Vatican for decades. The couple then traveled on a State visit to Serbia. Throughout, although Zuma's daughter has appeared quite modest in public, she has not failed to attract attention with her expensive outfits. What else can be expected from a new queen of Swaziland.