Trips cost country dearly
2004-06-11 15:59
Mbabane - Swaziland's King Mswati III made several costly trips abroad last year leading to a four-million-emalangeni (US$610 316) dent in taxpayers' pockets, a daily reported on Friday.
The costs incurred were only for security and hotel bills run up by Africa's last absolute monarch and his massive entourage, the public accounts committee (PAC) was informed on Thursday.
Principal secretary in the defence ministry Lucy Dlamini told the committee that the Swazi army had budgeted 500 000 emalangeni for the king's trips but ended up spending four million, the Times of Swaziland reported on Friday.
The king usually travels in a chartered plane, whose costs were not included in the figure given by Dlamini - a big amount at a time when the country is struggling with a debt of about $145m.
He travels with a delegation of not less than 30 people in keeping with tradition stipulating that the monarch should be accompanied by warriors and other members of the royal family.
"There were many trips that the king undertook outside the country which meant that soldiers had to spend more time outside the kingdom. I am sure that this year's budget is much better than previous years' and I hope and believe we will not be called by the PAC for overspending," Dlamini said.
The young monarch is currently in east Africa where he visited Uganda and Kenya after spending some time in Saudi Arabia. Just before that, he visited Malaysia and Singapore. He is due to return on June 18.
King Mswati III, who ascended to the throne in 1986, is no stranger to controversy.
He recently attracted sweeping criticism for ordering new palaces worth $14m for his 10 wives and two fiancees at a time when the country faces a deficit of around $145m.
The king has also been slammed for ordering a $45m royal jet, whose purchase was later scrapped.