Political Turmoil in Swaziland
After King Sobhuza II died in 1982, Swaziland faced a period of uncertainty because he had controlled the entire government. Members of the royal family started fighting for power, and some gained support from the Swaziland National Council. Prince Mfanasibili, for example, wanted to make decisions in the absence of a king.
The political group called the Liqoqo, which had existed before colonial rule and was later revived, played a big role in this struggle. It was meant to advise the king, but after Sobhuza’s death, it became unclear how much power it should have.
After Sobhuza’s passing, Queen Regent Dzeliwe took over, appointing 15 members to the Liqoqo, while Prince Sozisa was named “authorized person” to act on her behalf when needed. However, the Liqoqo considered itself above all other government institutions, including the prime minister and the regent.
When Prime Minister Prince Mabandla was accused of planning to remove traditional leaders, he was dismissed and replaced by Prince Bhekimpi, who was loyal to the Liqoqo. The group then started removing government officials they suspected of opposing them. In August 1983, they removed Queen Regent Dzeliwe and replaced her with Queen Ntombi, the mother of Sobhuza’s son, Makhosetive, who was declared the future king.
Many people, including university students, protested against the removal of Dzeliwe. In response, the Liqoqo arrested over 30 students. During this time, new political movements such as the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) emerged to demand democracy and good governance. It became clear that without a king, the Swazi political system was unstable. To restore order, supporters of the monarchy decided to crown the young heir. On April 25, 1986, 18-year-old Prince Makhosetive returned from school in England and was crowned King Mswati III. The same year, the Liqoqo was disbanded, and a new prime minister was appointed.
Under Mswati III, Swaziland remained under a state of emergency, which had been in place since 1973. His leadership faced opposition, especially from workers and students. The government continued to use harsh measures against those who opposed the monarchy. For example, in 1990, PUDEMO leaders were charged with treason after distributing pamphlets criticizing the government. They were accused of trying to overthrow the king.
Mswati III realized the need to reform some political systems. One of them was the Tinkhundla system, which rejected modern political parties. In 1991, he created the Tinkhundla Review Commission, known as Vusela, to gather public opinions. However, when the commission presented its findings in 1992, most suggestions for democratization were ignored. According to the report, most Swazis supported the Tinkhundla system.
Despite this, calls for political change continued, with people demanding the removal of the 1973 decree that banned political parties. Traditional leaders opposed these changes, but growing protests made it harder to ignore public demands. More political groups were formed, including the Swaziland Democratic Alliance, which pushed for democratic reforms. This forced Mswati III to address political change.
In 1996, he set up the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) to draft a new constitution. However, a major conflict arose when traditionalists insisted that the king should appoint the commissioners, while others wanted political groups to have a say. Political groups also demanded that the 1973 decree be removed before any discussions, but the king’s advisors wanted it to remain.
Mswati III went ahead and appointed the commissioners. In 2001, the CRC’s chairman announced that the king’s powers would be expanded, but details were unclear. Later, the king announced the formation of another commission to draft a new constitution, but no significant progress has been made.
The period after Sobhuza’s death has been marked by confusion and unresolved issues from the past. Civil society continues to demand democracy, while the monarchy sees these efforts as a threat. Although Mswati III has tried to make some political changes, his goal has been to strengthen the traditional system rather than allow real democracy. As a result, Swaziland remains isolated, while most countries in Southern Africa have moved toward democratic governance.
Also Read: King Sobhuza II of Swaziland
Comments are closed.