King Mswati III wishes divorce to become illegal
King Mswaiti III
Swaziland’s King Mswati III has asked religious leaders to ban divorce, saying that it goes against Swazi culture reports News Week.
The King told the leaders that a marriage can be dissolved only when either spouse dies.
The call comes after the country’s attorney general drafted a new marriage act which included five grounds for divorce in a bid to make it easier to for women to get out of unhappy marriages.
“It is not necessarily a decree. However, given the vast powers that the king has it may sound as it is. Remember that he’s also a chairperson of the judiciary commission. I’m just imagining women going there to demand a divorce given that the judge himself will be worried about his job after they had to contradict their boss; in this case the king,” said Lucky Lukhele from the Swaziland Solidarity Network to eNCA.
Swaziland is the last African country to be under absolute monarchy and according to civil rights organizations, the bill is almost certain to become law if it is formally tabled.
The King himself has several wives and is allowed to choose a new bride every year as per the law.
The Philippines and Vatican City are the only countries that have no legal grounds for divorce instead only allowing annulments.
Read more here
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Image Credit: U.S. Department of State
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