The Swaziland Progressive Party was the first political party founded in

Swaziland Eswatini ( ; ss, eSwatini ), officially the Kingdom of Eswatini and formerly named Swaziland ( ; officially renamed in 2018), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by Mozambique to its northeast and South Africa to its no ...

Background

A Progressive Association was founded in 1929 under the auspices of the

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of the

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. In 1935, the Association had less than 100 members. In 1939, the Association split into Swazi and non-Swazi camps.

John Nquku John June Nquku (born 1899, date of death unknown) was an early Swaziland nationalist and creator of Swaziland's first political party, the Swaziland Progressive Party. Early life and education Nquku was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa to ...

became President of the Association in 1945.Swaziland Political Development by R.P. Stevens, The Journal of Modern African Studies, 1963
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Party

The Association was transformed into a party in 1959-1960 by Nquku, who had travelled and met many

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an and

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politicians. The party set about on the path to

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and then independence. In 1962, Nquku was deposed as Party President and replaced with Ambrose Zwane. By appealing to the

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government for democratic institutions to be included in the Swazi constitution, the SPP managed to secure a place in the 1964 general election. However, when the election showed widespread support in Swazi society for

King Sobhuza II Sobhuza II, (; also known as Nkhotfotjeni, Mona; 22 July 1899 – 21 August 1982) was the Paramount Chief and later Ngwenyama of Swaziland for 82 years and 254 days, the longest verifiable reign of any monarch in recorded history. Sobhuza was ...

, the party lost influence.

Policies

The SPP had a four-point program: Non-racial universal enfranchisement, opposition to incorporation into

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, adoption of the

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, and integration of Swaziland's white minority and Swazi majority and ending racial discrimination.

References

*''A History of Post-War Africa'', John Hatch, 1965 1959 establishments in Swaziland 1973 disestablishments in Swaziland Anti-racist organizations in Africa Banned political parties Defunct political parties in Eswatini Nationalist parties in Africa Political parties disestablished in 1973 Political parties established in 1959 Progressive parties {{Swaziland-party-stub