Palace cabals and dethroning a Swazi queen regent: Debunking conventional wisdom, 1982-1983

Abstract

One of the most important developments in the history of the modern Swazi state was the deposition of a Queen Regent and this had not been experienced before. The Queen Regent, Dzeliwe Shongwe was removed from office as a result of the actions of a place cabal that claimed to be acting in the interests of the Swazi monarchy. While the act itself attracted a lot of attention from academics and other commentators, it was the explanation for the deposition that has become a subject of interest. The dominant explanation and one that has received the acceptance of many scholars is that the Queen Regent was deposed as a result of the actions of members of a governance structure, Liqoqo, that dominated Swazi politics at the time. According to this explanation, the Liqoqo did so because its members desired to take over power. This explanation depicts the Queen Regent as a victim who suffered at the hands of politically ambitious people who wanted to concentrate power in their hands. This article argues that this explanation, which has become conventional wisdom, is one sided because of a faulty methodological approach. No attempt has been made to view the events from the side of the perpetrators, as such it remains biased. The article shows that the Queen Regent, was also a victim of her own actions and preferences. It brings out the element of agency on her part.