Evaluate the role of political organization in the rise of two of the following: the Mandinka empire; the Lozi kingdom; the Ndebele kingdom; the Asante empire; Unyamwezi; the Hehe state.

The question requires that candidates make an appraisal of the rise of two of the named entities, weighing up the importance or otherwise of political organization to this rise. Candidates may offer equal coverage of their choices or they may emphasize the impact of political organization in one over the other. However, both will be a feature of the response. A comparative approach may or may not be used. Candidates may consider the type of political organization that existed, be it tribe, confederation or kingdom and they may consider the role played by different types of leader, be they religious or political leaders. While the impact of political organization will vary from state to state, and candidates can draw upon other factors—such as a strong economy and flourishing trade—to contextualize their responses, the bulk of the answer will remain on the issue raised in the question.