Broke Swaziland throws a costly birthday bash

[dArKeR]

Mbabane - Swaziland, Africa's last absolute monarchy, on Monday celebrated King Mswati III's 36th birthday, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a party despite its crippling debt and Aids crisis.

The bash was held at a giant sports ground in Mbabane and featured an official ceremony with the "ummiso" dance by Swazi virgins and energetic battle jigs by men sporting leopardskins.

Ten brand new BMWs bought for the occasion transported some of the king's ten official wives to the venue.

According to national budget estimates, the fete will cost more than $600 000 (about R5-million) at a time when the country is struggling with a debt of about $145-million (about R900-million).

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