The Development of Swaziland's Constitution: Monarchical Responses to Modern Challenges

Abstract

At independence in 1968, the monarchy in Swaziland did not suffer the fate of traditional rulers in most of independent Africa whose powers were severely curtailed and subordinated to those of the nationalist leaders. In Swaziland, the King's pre-eminence as the head of the ruling Dlamini clan was constitutionally enshrined within the overall set-up of a constitutional monarchy. The monarchy's control over the strategic resources of the country such as land and mineral resources was also entrenched in the Constitution. Furthermore, the domination of the political scene by the royalist party, the Imbokodvo National Movement, consolidated the King's political powers far beyond what was possibly intended under the dispensation of a constitutional monarchy. As soon as the opposition gained three seats in Parliament, this was seen as a challenge to the power, prestige and authority of the King. It then became easy for the 1968 Independence Constitution to be targeted as a colonial imposition lacking authority as a source of legitimate governance in the country.