LAST week we looked at the growth of nationalism, the formation of the first African political parties, their subsequent banning to the formation of the all white Rhodesia Front led first by Winston Field and then Ian Smith.
This week we will look at the Rhodesia Front and its declaration of independence (UDI).
The year 1965 marked the beginning of a new era in the then Rhodesian politics following the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) by the Rhodesian Front (RF).
The UDI was a statement adopted by the Cabinet of Rhodesia announcing that Rhodesia, a British territory that had governed itself since 1923, now regarded itself as an independent sovereign state.
Through the statement, Rhodesia claimed the right of self-government for the white settler population of the country.
But what had led to the Ian Smith led government to adopt such a radical proclamation?
It was only meant to maintain the grip it had on the country and deny the indigenes a chance to participate in the running of their country.
The Rhodesian whites were afraid the British were prepared to give the country to the blacks.
On April 13 1964, Smith became the prime minister of Rhodesia.
He was at the helm of the Rhodesian Front, leading an all white government run exclusively for the white settlers in the country.
As expected the black majority had no say in how the country was run.
After assuming office Smith’s agenda was to try and persuade the British government to grant them independence.
Britain however, was insisting that Africans participate more in the country’s political affairs before independence and was not prepared to give the settlers control of the country.
Irked by the lack of compromise by the British authorities and backed by the recent re-election of RF to parliament, Smith announced the UDI.
It was on Thursday afternoon on November 11 1965, as people tuned to the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation (RBC) when the unmistakeable voice of the then Rhodesian Prime Minister Smith was heard delivering the proclamation.
“Now therefore we the government of Rhodesia, do hereby declare that it is an undisputable and acceptable historic fact that since 1923 the government of Rhodesia have exercised the powers of self government and have been responsible for the progress and development and welfare of their people,” declared Smith.
“That the people of Rhodesia having demonstrated their loyalty to the Crown and to their kith and kin in the United Kingdom and elsewhere through two world wars and having been prepared to shed their blood and give of their substance in what they believed to be the mutual interests of freedom.
“That the people of Rhodesia fully support the request of their government for sovereign independence but have witnessed the consistent refusal of the government of the United Kingdom to accede to their entreaties.”
The move had consequences.
Britain to show its condemnation of the move imposed sanctions on Rhodesia including the cessation of trade with Rhodesia, her removal from the sterling area and denying the country access to London’s capital markets.
The sanctions imposed on Rhodesia became the first to be recorded in the United Nation’s (UN) history.
Members of the Commonwealth and UN expressed their disapproval of the adoption of UDI by Rhodesia and deemed the move illegal.
Rhodesia was left only with the backing of South Africa and Portugal.
Britain banned the purchase of Rhodesian sugar and tobacco despite the fact that Britain was Rhodesia’s largest market for tobacco.
The move by Britain was meant to weaken Rhodesia economically with the hope it would reverse its stance.
The RF government was however determined to cushion its white community from the effects of the sanctions through economic reorganisation and the extension of state power.
Some of the measures adopted included the call for farmers to reduce the production of tobacco and concentrate on other crops such as maize, cotton, wheat and soya beans.
By increasing the production of crops such as maize and wheat, the RF government was creating food self sufficiency thereby reducing the food import bill.
The counter measures by the RF government had their own challenges as although tobacco production was achieved the markets remained problematic.
Wheat production increased and there was no international market for the supply and this affected the prices of the commodity on the local market.
It is important to note that the UDI was not only met with resistance on the international stage but also on the local front.
Within Rhodesia, momentum was gathering as the nationalist parties the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) began a guerrilla war against the white-settler Rhodesians.
In 1966 the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) engaged in the first major battle at Chinhoyi (Sinoia).