The trip by King Mswati of Eswatini, on which he is accompanied by his 16th wife, newly married Nomcebo Zuma, the daughter of former South African president Jacob Zuma, will come at a hefty cost to citizens of the kingdom, gobbling up over R200m (US$11m).
Mswati is currently on a whirlwind tour by private jet with Nomcebo, with the trip abroad set to be her introduction to the world.
According to the eSwatini-based publication, Swaziland News, King Mswati left the country on Sunday, and attended the World Food Forum held in Italy.
He is expected to proceed to Serbia for a State visit before attending the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa.
Eswatini Government)
When concerns were raised about the financial cost of the trip, Mswati’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane told the publication that his office “does not handle finances or allowances for the King and his delegation. He referred comments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs”.
The publication alleged that Zuma’s daughter included her friends and relatives in the delegation for what is her first official working trip.
The 56-year-old king has led Africa’s last absolute monarchy since taking power in 1986, days after his 18th birthday, and has been criticised for his lavish lifestyle while most of the population lives in poverty.
Nomcebo Zuma was recently introduced as the King’s 16th wife. Jacob Zuma, a polygamist himself, has not approved of the marriage and did not attend the pair’s engagement or wedding.
King Mswati III reportedly paid lobola amounting to R2-million and 100 head of cattle.
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