Swazi King Mswati III has banned divorce in the Southern African nation, saying the dissolution of marriage was an unacceptable concept in the country.
King Mswati made the announcement during an Easter meeting with local pastors at his Engabezweni Royal Residence.
He urged the pastors to educate the people that there was no pulling out once they got into marriage.
“In our culture, once you marry someone, there is no turning back,” the King said.
King Mswati compared marriage to a covenant with God, pointing out that it was wrong for anyone to break agreements made with the latter.
The King went on to mention that divorce is an unknown concept in Swaziland, pointing out that it does not have a local translation.
Swaziland is one of the world’s last remaining absolute monarchies.
King Mswati III was crowned in 1986 at the age of 18, succeeding his long-serving father King Sobhuza II, who died at the age of 82.
The king, 49, who is known as Ngweyama – “the lion” – has many wives and often appears in public in traditional dress.
Each year, he is allowed to add a new bride in a colourful ceremony.
