How did King Sobhuza II change Eswatini’s system of government after independence?

Five years after Eswatini gained independence, King Sobhuza II repealed the constitution established by the British. In its place, he restored a traditional system of government that concentrated effective power within the royal capital.

While Sobhuza II maintained a cabinet system, including a prime minister, he ensured that all ministers were appointed directly by the king rather than through democratic election. At the local level, the government operated through the tinkhundla system, which functioned at the grassroots level. This transition marked a shift toward a centralized monarchy, which the king oversaw until his death in 1982.1