Zimbabwe Rhodesia general election, 1979

The Zimbabwe Rhodesia general election of April 1979 was held under the internal settlement negotiated by the Rhodesian Front government of Ian Smith intended to provide a peaceful transition to majority rule on terms not harmful to Rhodesians of European descent. The internal settlement was not approved internationally but the incoming government under Bishop Abel Muzorewa did decide to participate in the Lancaster House talks which led to end of the dispute and the creation of Zimbabwe.

Electoral procedure

Under the agreement of 1978, the new Zimbabwe Rhodesia House of Assembly was to consist of 100 members. 20 were to be elected on the "White Roll" which was previously used to elect the majority of the Rhodesia House of Assembly. 72 seats were elected by the "Common Roll" which every adult in the country had a vote. Owing to the lack of an electoral roll, voters were instead marked with ink on their fingers in order to stop multiple voting. Once the 92 members had been elected, they assembled to vote for eight White non-constituency members. All the candidates for these posts were members of the Rhodesian Front.

The 20 White Roll members were elected from new constituencies made up of combinations of the previous constituencies. The Common Roll members were elected by province using a closed list system. It was intended to set up a full electoral register and institute single-member constituencies for future elections.

Election campaign

The main question in the election campaign was how many Africans would vote in the common roll election. The Patriotic Front parties, ZANU-PF and ZAPU, pledged to disrupt the election and called for a boycott. By 1979, all of Rhodesia apart from the central area between Salisbury and Bulawayo was under a form of martial law due to attacks by the Patriotic Front's armies, ZANLA and ZIPRA.

In the event the turnout was quite respectable in Mashonaland, although somewhat depressed in Manicaland and Victoria. In Matabeleland South, where ZIPRA was strongest, the turnout was lowest.

Results

The final state of the parties was:

Candidates and elected members

* - Subsequently formed the Zimbabwe Democratic Party (see below)

** - These candidates had resigned from the United National Federal Party and joined the Zimbabwe United Peoples' Organisation after nominations had closed. It was ruled that their candidatures stood.

White non-constituency members

Polling day was May 7, 1979. Eight seats were up for election.

Changes during the Assembly

John Moses Chirimbani (UANC, Manicaland) was elected as the Speaker of the House of Assembly on May 8, 1979, and therefore an "ex officio" member. On May 25, John Zwenhamo Ruredzo was appointed to replace him.

Robert Siyoka (UNFP, Matabeleland South) resigned, and was replaced by Sami Thomani Siyoka on June 28, 1979.

On June 25, 1979 James Chikerema led a group of eight elected UANC members in resigning from the party, and on June 29 seven of the eight formed the Zimbabwe Democratic Party. Actor Mupinyuri (UANC, Mashonaland Central) rejoined the UANC shortly after resigning from it. The seven who joined are denoted by asterisks in the lists above. A questionable wording in the electoral law led to the UANC taking legal action to disqualify the seven on the grounds that they had to keep their membership of the party in order to remain members of the Assembly, but Chikerema was successful in defending the right to break away.

Hilary Gwyn Squires resigned in June 1979, moving to South Africa to take up a legal career. David Colville Smith was returned unopposed as Rhodesian Front candidate for Borrowdale constituency on July 24, 1979.

Terrence Mashambanhaka (UANC, Mashonaland Central) was murdered on September 16, 1979 after being lured to an ambush at 'peace talks' with ZANLA forces. Abel Muringazuwa Madombwe was appointed to the Assembly to replace him on November 27, 1979.

Theunis Christian de Klerk (RF, Lundi) was killed in a rocket attack on his home on September 20, 1979. Donald Galbraith Goddard was returned unopposed to follow him on November 30, 1979.

References

* Rhodesia Government Gazette (candidates for White Roll constituencies; elected MPs)
* The Herald (common roll constituencies and election results)