MBABANE, Swaziland — The Swazi king, bare-chested and wearing a traditional leopard skin loin cloth, celebrated his 40th birthday and his nation’s 40th independence day in lavish style Saturday — hosting an extravaganza that contrasted sharply with the biting poverty of his subjects.
King Mswati III toured the national stadium in an open-topped BMW to cheers and fluttering flags. Tens of thousands of Swazi maidens who had performed for the king last weekend at the annual Reed Dance were at the festivities, which included traditional dancing and Zulu drumming, as well as a full military parade.
Visiting heads of state were whisked into the stadium in a long convoy of luxury cars, purchased specially for the occasion. The loudest cheer was reserved for Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, who climbed out of a car with a “Zimbabwe” license plate to a standing ovation. The 84-year-old autocrat is popular because he is seen as standing up to the West.
“I’m aware that many in the world might be wondering why we are so excited about the celebrations of our 40th anniversary,” Mswati told the crowd. “The answer is simple. We are celebrating our nationhood.”
Mswati is Africa’s last absolute monarch. He is widely revered, but there is anger about the luxurious lifestyle practiced by him and his 13 wives.
The so-called 40-40 party was preceded by demonstrations against its excessive cost — officially put at $2.5 million, but widely thought to be at least five times more — in a country where 70 percent live below the poverty line.
Only one in four Swazis can expect to reach 40, according to the latest U.N. estimates, because of the AIDS virus that has infected nearly 40 percent of adults — the highest in the world — and left a generation of orphans.
Mswati made no reference to the unhappiness among his subjects in his 45-minute address. Instead, he urged the southern African nation’s 1 million people to redouble efforts to boost the nation’s growth and tackle the scourge of AIDS.
He also told foreign investors that Swaziland was a calm, peaceful and safe place, and invited more tourists to visit the small nation surrounded by South Africa and Mozambique.
