Swazi king picks young new wife

BBC ^ | 9-26-05 | news bbc

[Rakkasan1]

Phindile Nkambule, 17, was revealed to the public when she took part in a traditional Reed Dance ceremony, in which girls perform before the king.

The announcement comes just weeks after Mswati III ended an official ban on sex for women under 18. The ban was aimed at curbing the spread of HIV/Aids.

According to custom, King Mswati, 37, will marry Phindile Nkambule once she becomes pregnant.

She is reported to have caught the king's eye during the main annual Reed Dance in late August, when tens of thousands of bare-breasted girls took part in a traditional rite of Spring.

[Rakkasan1]

I'm going to the reed dance next year.

[dfwgator]

"It's good to be the king."

[lormand]

Here is the sound of those "Americans" who claim to represent the opposition to oppression of women worldwide....

< cricket chirps >

[English Nationalist]

Some Swazis are critical of King Mswati - an absolute monarch whose lavish lifestyle and many wives contrast with the poverty of many of his subjects.

But, but .. Afrikan culture is sharing, and cooperative, and just, unlike those evil nasty white capitalists.

[coloradan]

According to custom, King Mswati, 37, will marry Phindile Nkambule once she becomes pregnant.

How nice of the King.

[Rakkasan1]

hope I posted in the correct category or I'll get banned (again).

funny how 3rd world debt is our problem, but this fool can have Ferraris and 13 wives while half his country dies of AIDS.

[mtbopfuyn]

He'll married her AFTER she becomes pg? And they wonder why 40% of the population has HIV/AIDS.

Speaking of bare breasts, he's got a large pair of man-boobs himself.

[Alouette]

Now is it true that once the King deflowers the chosen "Reed Dancers" they become "haraam" to everyone else and if they want to get married and have a normal life they are taken out and beheaded?

[Phlap]

I wanted his job but my guidance counselor said welding was the ticket. So to speak.

[Semper Paratus]

The announcement comes just weeks after Mswati III ended an official ban on sex for women under 18.

Kingship does have some nice perks.

[reagandemocrat]

"Just two months after imposing the ban, the king fined himself a cow for breaking it by taking a 17-year-old girl as his ninth wife."

He fined himself a cow?

[dawn53]

Just two months after imposing the ban, the king fined himself a cow for breaking it by taking a 17-year-old girl as his ninth wife. The Swazi monarch married his 12th wife, aged 18, in June. He has one other fiancee and 27 children

I think this guy could fit in in Hollywood!

[MindBender26]

>when tens of thousands of bare-breasted girls took part in a traditional rite of Spring.

Sort of like Spring Break in Daytona.

[SF Republican]

once she becomes pregnant I could very well be wrong, but I think I remember from a class long ago, that this was (in some cultures) a rule, you did not marry until the pregnancy.

[English Nationalist]

Fined himself a cow (as the judge), paid the cow (as the defendant), received the cow (as the head of state) and then presumably slapped himself on the wrist and told himself not to do it again.

[hardworking]

Yeah, a real neat guy. Some friends of ours just returned a few weeks ago from this little piece of heaven on earth (sarcasm, in case you don't get it) because they went there as part of a team to plant gardens so that this worthless piece of s*** king's people can try and feed themselves. The country is so destroyed by AIDS that they saw households headed up by ten year olds. Disgusting.

[neodad]

I thought he was after Chelsea, or am I mixing up my African monarchs?

[motorola7]

"when tens of thousands of bare-breasted girls took part in a traditional rite of Spring."

anyone have video? :)

[Enterprise]

King picks a young wife? Say now, that sounds like Larry King.