The annual Swazi Reed Dance always has distinguished guests from outside countries. Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe was there in 2010 and so were former Botswana Defence Force (BDF) Commander Tebogo Masire and BDF Spokesperson Paul Sharp. This year, King Mswati’s guest of honour was Bakili Muluzi, former President of Malawi. And this time around, Botswana was represented by Ambassador Kenny Kapinga who is based in Pretoria.
While there has never been an explanation from most dignitaries as to what really drives them to the Reed Dance, where young girls dance semi naked, former Malawi President Bakili Muluzi has come out in the open to state why he loves Swaziland.
“I love Swazi women because they are beautiful,” the old man declared when giving a speech at the official opening of the Swaziland International Trade Fair in Manzini on Saturday, a day before the Reed Dance celebrations.
Muluzi said that during his ten years as president, he got the opportunity to travel to many countries but he had never seen such beautiful women as the Swazis. He even joked that this time he would have the opportunity to admire the women more since he came to Swaziland without his wife, who, according to Muluzi, once caught him off guard admiring the beauty of Swazi women during one of his previous visits to the country for the Reed Dance.
Muluzi said he is impressed at the way the people of Swaziland uphold their culture.
