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Claim: Several Facebook posts claimed the government of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) ordered its men to marry five wives or risk being jailed.
Verdict: False! The government made no such request and had debunked the claim years earlier.
Full Text
In Africa, discussions around polygamy often gain traction on social media. In most cases, women tend to oppose the idea, while men frequently defend it, citing unverifiable research claims that suggest polygamy is “natural” to the male gender.
Recently, a claim surfaced on Nigerian social media alleging that the government of Eswatini issued a controversial directive supporting polygamy.
The claim, shared on Facebook on May 29, 2025, alleged that the Swaziland government had ordered men to marry five wives, warning that any man who opposed the directive would risk imprisonment.
Several Facebook accounts reposted the claim, which has since gone viral. Some Nigerian users, who shared the post, expressed a desire for a similar law to be enacted in Nigeria, while others joked about relocating to the Southern African country.
Given the virality of the claim and its potential to mislead the public, DUBAWA fact-checked it.
Verification
Eswatini is a country in the Southern African region. It is referred to as the world’s last remaining absolute monarchies, ruled by King Mswatini III, who assumed power in 1986 after his 18th birthday.
The country, formerly known as Swaziland, was renamed kingdom of Eswatini in 2018 to mark the country’s 50th independence anniversary.
Public accounts of King Mswatini’s harem note that he has at least 15 wives, while his father reportedly had over 70 wives. This context may lend superficial credibility to the claim that he ordered men to marry at least five wives.
However, a Google keyword search showed that the claim previously trended online in 2019. At the time, the context surrounding the claim was that the government promised to fund the marriage ceremonies and provide houses for the couples and that failure to comply could result in a life sentence.
The reports further stated that the alleged directive was prompted by the country’s growing female population and a shortage of men.
However, findings showed the claim had been debunked in the past. Media reports quoted government spokesperson Percy Simelane, who described the reports as “malicious” and “poisonous” at the time.
“His Majesty has not made any pronouncement to that effect as it has never been an issue raised,” Simelane had said.
He also said such a report was an insult to the monarchy and the culture of eSwatini and a disgrace to journalism.
The rumour was also debunked, as seen here.
DUBAWA went through the official social media accounts of the Eswatini government on Facebook and X and found no such directive.
Also, a video posted in May 2024 on YouTube showed officials of Eswatini debunking a similar claim that the country was giving “free wives” to men from Uganda and other African countries to increase its population.
Findings indicate that polygamy is legally permissible in Eswatini, provided it is consensual. However, there are ongoing concerns regarding women’s rights and the discriminatory aspects often associated with such unions, particularly with traditional and customary practices.
While some argue that polygamy contravenes Article 3 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees equal rights for men and women in the enjoyment of all civil and political freedoms, others maintain that polygamy does not infringe upon women’s rights any more than monogamy does.”
Meanwhile, DUBAWA fact-checked a similar claim, which was in support of polygamy in January 2024 and found it to be false.
Conclusion
The claim that the government of Eswatini ordered men to marry five wives or risk a jail term is false.
