King of Swaziland Wants To Ban Divorce

Swaziland’s King Mswati III has voiced his desire to have divorce banned in his country, The Times of Swaziland reports.

“In our culture, once you marry, there is no turning back,” the 49-year-old King – who has fifteen wives – is reported to have told the country’s religious leaders during an Easter service at the weekend, whom he asked to “inform citizens that there will be no pulling out from marriage, once it takes place.”

“He said it was wrong for people to break agreements made with God. He said that in siSwati, there was no word for divorce,” the report continued.

The news comes as a Marriage Bill of 2017 is being drafted by the Swazi Attorney General. It allows five grounds for divorce, which are not available in current marriage laws, and must be passed by parliament before coming into effect.

Considering King Mswati is an absolute monarch, if he places his wish before parliament formally, it will likely be passed.

Filed under Swaziland
Tagged Divorce, Legal Matters, Mswati III of Swaziland.

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