Kingship and transition in Swaziland, 1973-1988

Abstract

This dissertation focuses on the Liqoqo years in Swaziland and the extent to which King Sobhuza’s reign and the introduction of the 1973 Decree created the conditions that led to the crises that plagued the country after the monarch’s death in 1982. It argues that Sobhuza II’s brand of cultural nationalism, the removal of the Independence Constitution, the introduction of Tinkhundla governance and the transformation of the Liqoqo sowed the seeds for political crisis that engulfed the kingdom. This study refutes the traditionalist/modernist debate and proposes that King Sobhuza II, albeit unwittingly, was the architect of a scenario that almost destroyed the long reigning Swazi monarchy. While this dissertation focuses on events leading up to and during the Liqoqo era, the aftermath is equally fascinating witnessing unparalleled civic dissatisfaction and the emergence of more vocal and organised opposition groups during the final decade of the century.