Internal Settlement
On 3 March 1978, Muzorewa, Sithole and other non-exiled leaders signed an agreement at Governor's Lodge, Salisbury, which paved the way for the interim government, the leadership of which was an Executive Council made up of Muzorewa, Sithole and Jeremiah Chirau, along with Ian Smith.
This Executive Council was to run the affairs of state prior to elections taking place. A new constitution was drafted reserving 10 seats in the Senate and 28 seats in the House of Assembly for the white minority, and a quarter of the Cabinet positions. The constitution was approved in a nearly Whites-only referendum that took place in January 1979. An overwhelming majority of 85% voted yes.
Elections were held, and the UANC won. Josiah Gumede was the first President, Muzorewa became prime minister and the country's name was changed to Zimbabwe Rhodesia. But both Mugabe and Nkomo denounced the arrangement, the war continued, and no international recognition was forthcoming because their parties had not been included in the elections. The internal settlement was also condemned by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 423 of 1978, declaring unlawful any "internal settlement" in Southern Rhodesia. The civil war that Ian Smith hoped to stem when he worked out the "internal settlement" continued unabated.
Read more about this topic: Abel Muzorewa
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