Friday
April 27, 2012
April 27, 2012
Africa
Photo/FILE
Swaziland's King Mswati III is rated by Forbes magazine as the world's
15th richest monarch with a personal fortune of $100 million, but he
reins over one of the world's poorest nations.
By AFP
Posted Wednesday, April 25 2012 at 14:43
Posted Wednesday, April 25 2012 at 14:43
MBABANE, Wednesday
Swazi King Mswati III has received a jet for his
44th birthday, despite the tiny country's crippling financial crisis,
the prime minister said on state radio Wednesday.
Prime Minister Barnabas Dlamini said the king now
owns a McDonnell Douglas DC-9 twin-engine jet, but insisted the plane
was a gift to be used by Mswati and his 13 wives.
"His majesty's government has the honour to
announce to the nation that the king has received a gift of a DC-9
aircraft from development partners and friends of the king, to be used
by their majesties for travels abroad," Dlamini said.
Mswati celebrated his birthday on April 19 with a three million rand ($386,000, 293,000 euros), partly paid by the state.
He is rated by Forbes magazine as the
world's 15th richest monarch with a personal fortune of $100 million,
but he reins over one of the world's poorest nations.
The Swaziland Diaspora Platform, a human rights
group based in South Africa, has rejected the government's explanation
for the jet.
No development partner would want to be anonymous, by their nature development agencies are transparent.
We demand the release of full details of the donor and the value of the jet," spokeswoman Ntombenhle Khathwane said.
The banned Pudemo opposition also accused Mswati of using taxpayer money.
"He was secretly using it and only now do they feel
bold enough to admit it. We have long said that this monarchy is a huge
drain to the economy," spokesman Zakhele Mabuza said.
Mswati in 2002 secretly used 28 million rand for
the deposit on a 19-seater Bombardier Global Express long-range jet, but
the move was halted after a huge uproar from parliament, opposition
parties and civil society.
Swaziland is currently facing an economic crisis that has sparked protests in the tiny kingdom.
Opposition groups, labour and students have protested to demand more democracy in Africa's last absolute monarchy.
No comments:
Post a Comment