LOZITHA:King Mswati is highly expected to spend over R20million paying over twenty thousand(20000)emaButfo including Ingatja as Imbasha(allowances) for attending Incwala ceremony and participating in the ongoing weeding of royal fields.
Reached for comments by this Swaziland News on Friday evening, Percy Simelane,the King’s Spokesperson said,he was not sure of the amount but clarified that,donated Incwala monies will be used not public funds.
“We don’t handle Royal Household payments or allowances.We would therefore not be sure of the sum totals to be paid as allowances.What we know is that before such events,there are donations from companies and individuals.They include money in millions to benefit participants,including the warriors in question.The traditional structure has professional accountants at Nkhanini,” said the King’s Spokesperson.
It has been disclosed that this year, each Ingatja will receive one thousand Rands(R1000) and royal insiders told this publication that,due to the high level of poverty, the numbers are very high as Ingatja attended in numbers.
“We have seen young people attending Incwala and the weeding of the King’s fields in large numbers. It’s the first time we have witness such numbers and of course,some are targeting iMbasha simo sibi lemakhaya. We have an estimated number of over twenty thousand(20000) eMabutfo,” said one of the King’s close servants.
Eswatini has about 70% of the population living below the poverty line, the country is ruled by King Mswati as an absolute Monarch.
King Mswati during Incwala.