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 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 American 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 The following elections occurred in 1964. Africa * 1964 Cameroonian parliamentary election * 1964 Central African Republic parliamentary election * 1964 Central African Republic presidential election * 1964 Dahomeyan general election * 1964 Gabo ...

. 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 United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, 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