LOBAMBA:King Mswati is highly expected to spend over R60million public funds, paying Ingatja (young boys) and eMajaha who attended Incwala ceremony amid growing numbers after the increase of the attendance allowance known as ‘Imbasha’.
Incwala is the King’s annual ritual ceremony held at Ludzidzini Palace, an estimated number of over forty-five thousand (45000) emaSwati attended the ceremony and will receive about one thousand five hundred Rands (R1,500.00) each as Incwala allowance while others might receive one thousand Rands (R1,000.00) depending on seniority within the traditional circles and/or within the various regiments (Mabutfo).
When asked by this Swaziland News, if the budget is sustainable considering the growing number of eMajaha who attend the ceremony annually, King Mswati’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane Percy Simelane said, it’s sustainable.
“When this country got its independence in 1968 the population was about 360 thousand. Today it stands at about 1.3 million but there has been never a time when the economy totally failed to sustain the citizens because it is growing with them. When the King took over from his father as King in 1986, the country\'s gross domestic product was $1.5billion. Now it’s $70billion. We have therefore no reasons to believe tingaja allowances will disappear as the number of participation increases,” said the King’s Spokesperson.
Thousands of emajaha and young boys (Ingatja) participated in the annual Incwala ceremony, the King is highly expected to disperse eMabutfo in the coming few days after the ongoing weeding of royal fields.
Some young boys use the Incwala allowance to buy school uniform and exercise books and when interviewed by the media, they praised King Mswati for motivating them with the allowance to participate in cultural activities.
King Mswati to spend over R60million public funds paying Ingatja and eMajaha’s ‘imbasha’ as over 45000 attend Incwala ceremony, Spokesperson Percy Simelane says budget sustainable.