1977_Rhodesian_general_election
General elections were held in Rhodesia on 31 August 1977,[1][2][3] the last general election in the country dominated by the white minority. Prime Minister Ian Smith, who was conducting negotiations with moderate African nationalists, was forced into an early election by the defection of twelve MPs from his Rhodesian Front party, which denied him the two-thirds majority of the House of Assembly needed to change the constitution. In the event, the Front overwhelmed the breakaway Rhodesian Action Party and all other forces, once again winning every single seat in the 50 seats elected by those of European descent.
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All 66 seats in the House of Assembly 34 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Composition of the House of Assembly after the election | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The electorate of Rhodesia returned 66 members of the House of Assembly of Rhodesia, in three different classes of seat:
- European roll seats: 50 members were returned from single-member constituencies by voters who were either of European, Asian or mixed (Coloured) descent.
- African roll seats: 8 members were returned from single-member constituencies by voters of African descent.
- Tribal seats: 8 seats were returned by Tribal electoral colleges made up of the Chiefs of the Tribes.
Both European and African rolls had a range of property qualifications. No change to boundaries or the qualification of voters was made compared to the 1974 election.
- Rural constituencies.
- Constituencies in Salisbury.
- Constituencies in Bulawayo.
- African roll constituencies.
| Party | European roll | African roll | Total seats | +/– | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | ||||
| Rhodesian Front | 57,348 | 85.36 | 50 | 50 | 0 | ||||
| Rhodesian Action Party | 6,224 | 9.26 | 0 | 0 | New | ||||
| National Unifying Force | 3,002 | 4.47 | 0 | 0 | –1 | ||||
| Independents | 612 | 0.91 | 0 | 470 | 100.00 | 8 | 8 | +7 | |
| Tribal representatives | 8 | 0 | |||||||
| Total | 67,186 | 100.00 | 50 | 470 | 100.00 | 8 | 66 | 0 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 83,825 | – | 2,604 | – | |||||
European roll seats
| Constituency Electorate and turnout |
Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARUNDEL 2,503 (83.6%) |
†Archibald Oliver Garfield Wilson | RF | 1,613 | 77.1 |
| Anthony Warner | NUF | 256 | 12.2 | |
| Gideon Tredoux | RAP | 223 | 10.7 | |
| AVONDALE 2,068 (78.8%) |
Brian Stringer | RF | 1,412 | 86.7 |
| †Colin Eric Barlow | RAP | 217 | 13.3 | |
| BELLEVUE 2,366 (81.9%) |
†Wallace Evelyn Stuttaford | RF | 1,797 | 92.8 |
| Carel David Theron | RAP | 140 | 7.2 | |
| BELVEDERE 1,944 (79.5%) |
†Dennis Divaris | RF | 1,247 | 80.6 |
| Randolph Harold Clark | NUF | 196 | 12.7 | |
| Ernest Roy Wright | RAP | 103 | 6.7 | |
| BORROWDALE 2,900 (81.5%) |
†Douglas Hamilton Ritchie | RF | 1,759 | 74.4 |
| Lance Halford Reynolds | NUF | 354 | 15.0 | |
| Robert Sutton | RAP | 238 | 10.1 | |
| Mrs. Wendy Ann Truen | Ind | 12 | 0.5 | |
| BRAESIDE 1,576 (81.3%) |
†Richard Cartwright | RF | 1,143 | 89.2 |
| Trevor Bryan Charles Harding | RAP | 139 | 10.8 | |
| BULAWAYO CENTRAL 1,243 (76.5%) |
Denys Sinclair Parkin | RF | 679 | 71.4 |
| Ewen Cardno Greenfield | NUF | 236 | 24.8 | |
| Brewster Bryan Whyte | RAP | 36 | 3.8 | |
| BULAWAYO DISTRICT 1,705 (75.1%) |
†Alexander Moseley | RF | 1,200 | 93.8 |
| Samuel James Shannon | RAP | 80 | 6.2 | |
| BULAWAYO EAST 2,195 (76.9%) |
Charles McKenzie Scott | RF | 1,315 | 77.8 |
| Arthur Moses Kaplan | NUF | 295 | 17.5 | |
| Alexander Argyll McCallum | RAP | 79 | 4.7 | |
| BULAWAYO NORTH 1,780 (77.9%) |
†Wilfrid Denis Walker | RF | 1,282 | 92.4 |
| Thomas Hayward Pannell | RAP | 105 | 7.6 | |
| BULAWAYO SOUTH 1,059 (69.5%) |
George Desmond Chalmers | RF | 701 | 95.2 |
| Ian Norman Berry | RAP | 35 | 4.8 | |
| CHARTER 1,491 (76.1%) |
†Rowan Cronjé | RF | 1,023 | 90.2 |
| Leonard George Idensohn | Ind | 111 | 9.8 | |
| EASTERN 1,319 (81.3%) |
Andre Dallein Wassennaar | RF | 833 | 77.7 |
| †John Hamilton Wright | RAP | 239 | 22.3 | |
| GATOOMA 1,421 (84.0%) |
†Albert Gannaway Mells | RF | 1,094 | 91.6 |
| James Wheeler | RAP | 100 | 8.4 | |
| GREENDALE 2,168 (84.2%) |
†Mark Henry Heathcote Partridge | RF | 1,448 | 79.3 |
| Eric Reginald Schofield | RAP | 235 | 12.9 | |
| Simon Dennis Whinney | NUF | 142 | 7.8 | |
| GWEBI 1,319 (83.7%) |
Bertram Ankers | RF | 764 | 69.2 |
| †Thomas Ian Fraser Sandeman | RAP | 207 | 18.8 | |
| George Alfred Pio | Ind | 133 | 12.0 | |
| GWELO 1,308 (80.1%) |
†Roger Hawkins | RF | 975 | 93.1 |
| Michael Patrick John Huggins | RAP | 55 | 5.2 | |
| David Timothy Torbet Frost | Ind | 18 | 1.7 | |
| HARTLEY 2,254 (80.8%) |
†P. K. van der Byl | RF | 1,604 | 88.0 |
| Jacobus Ignatius de Wet | RAP | 218 | 12.0 | |
| HATFIELD 1,816 (84.8%) |
†Frederick Roy Simmonds | RF | 1,303 | 84.6 |
| †Edward Aylett Sutton-Pryce | RAP | 197 | 12.8 | |
| Neville Ronald Arthur Skeates | NUF | 40 | 2.6 | |
| HIGHLANDS NORTH 1,860 (83.2%) |
†Fergus Blackie | RF | 1,082 | 69.9 |
| Allan Savory | NUF | 318 | 20.6 | |
| Marie Joseph Claude de Chasteigner Dumée-Duval | RAP | 147 | 9.5 | |
| HIGHLANDS SOUTH 1,960 (84.4%) |
John Christie | RF | 1,266 | 76.5 |
| †Richard Hope Hall | RAP | 230 | 13.9 | |
| David Frank Sutherland | NUF | 158 | 9.6 | |
| HILLCREST 1,703 (84.9%) |
James Patrick Thrush | RF | 1,331 | 92.0 |
| Edwin Stanley O'Connor | RAP | 115 | 8.0 | |
| HILLSIDE 1,876 (81.3%) |
William Redpath Kinleyside | RF | 1,382 | 90.6 |
| Owen Victor Parvess | RAP | 143 | 9.4 | |
| JAMESON 1,704 (82.7%) |
Robert James Gaunt | RF | 1,242 | 88.1 |
| †John Peter Broberg Nilson | RAP | 167 | 11.9 | |
| KAROI 1,260 (76.0%) |
†Jan Jacobus Buitendag | RF | 861 | 90.0 |
| Donovan Hilgard Erasmus | NUF | 96 | 10.0 | |
| MABELREIGN 1,966 (82.1%) |
†John Cornelius Gleig | RF | 1,420 | 87.9 |
| Adrian Thomas Wymer | RAP | 195 | 12.1 | |
| MARANDELLAS 1,501 (83.7%) |
†David Colville Smith | RF | 1,086 | 86.4 |
| William John Raymond Pratt | RAP | 171 | 13.6 | |
| MARLBOROUGH 2,211 (82.6%) |
†William Michie Irvine | RF | 1,477 | 80.9 |
| John Frederick Handford | RAP | 188 | 10.3 | |
| Ivor Cordner McCormick | NUF | 161 | 8.8 | |
| MATOBO 1,680 (84.1%) |
Donald Galbraith Goddard | RF | 1,262 | 89.3 |
| †Robert Henry Warren McGee | RAP | 151 | 10.7 | |
| MAZOE 1,652 (80.4%) |
†George Rollo Hayman | RF | 1,184 | 89.1 |
| Robin Elliot Campbell-Logan | RAP | 145 | 10.9 | |
| MIDLANDS 1,264 (79.7%) |
†Henry Swan Elsworth | RF | 903 | 89.7 |
| Kennith Hahn | RAP | 104 | 10.3 | |
| MILTON PARK 1,703 (81.3%) |
†John Alfred Landau | RF | 1,171 | 84.6 |
| Ratilal Damodard Devchand | NUF | 116 | 8.4 | |
| Peter Michael Nursten | RAP | 97 | 7.0 | |
| MOUNT PLEASANT 1,938 (73.0%) |
†Jonas Christian Andersen | RF | 1,295 | 91.5 |
| Julian Richard Haw | RAP | 120 | 8.5 | |
| MTOKO 1,752 (80.6%) |
Stanley Norman Eastwood | RF | 1,044 | 73.9 |
| †Rodney Guy Swayne Simmonds | RAP | 187 | 13.3 | |
| Diana Mitchell | NUF | 181 | 12.8 | |
| QUEEN'S PARK 1,521 (83.5%) |
†Arthur Denis Crook | RF | 1,189 | 93.6 |
| Bazil Geoffrey de Lorme | RAP | 81 | 6.4 | |
| QUE QUE 1,731 (83.3%) |
†Jacobus Johannes Burger | RF | 1,265 | 87.7 |
| William Gerald Kaschula | RAP | 90 | 6.2 | |
| William Harris Keys | NUF | 87 | 6.1 | |
| RAYLTON 1,922 (76.0%) |
†Patrick Francis Shields | RF | 1,385 | 94.8 |
| Norman John Western | RAP | 76 | 5.2 | |
| RUSAPE 1,344 (78.1%) |
Jacobus Phillipus du Plessis | RF | 934 | 89.0 |
| Gerhardus Paulus Johannes Swart | RAP | 116 | 11.0 | |
| SALISBURY CENTRAL 1,245 (74.6%) |
†Hilary Squires | RF | 778 | 83.7 |
| Raymond Stallwood | RAP | 76 | 8.2 | |
| Mrs. Eileen Penny Brown | NUF | 75 | 8.1 | |
| SALISBURY CITY 1,392 (75.5%) |
Ivor Pitch | RF | 681 | 64.8 |
| Ahrn Palley | Ind | 333 | 31.7 | |
| Anthony Charles Edward Scrace | RAP | 32 | 3.0 | |
| Leslie Thomas Hayes | Ind | 5 | 0.5 | |
| SALISBURY NORTH 1,613 (79.9%) |
†André Sothern Holland | RF | 1,063 | 82.5 |
| Eric David Drought Syme | NUF | 135 | 10.5 | |
| Mark Fraser McLean | RAP | 90 | 7.0 | |
| SELUKWE 1,812 (80.8%) |
†John Morris Lowenthal | RF | 1,330 | 90.8 |
| Anthony William Baumann | RAP | 135 | 9.2 | |
| SHABANI 1,219 (76.5%) |
Theunis Christian de Klerk | RF | 872 | 93.6 |
| Johannes Jacobus Hulley | RAP | 60 | 6.4 | |
| SINOIA/UMVUKWES 1,535 (75.8%) |
†Esmond Meryl Micklem | RF | 1,085 | 93.3 |
| Roland Oliver Davis | NUF | 78 | 6.7 | |
| UMTALI EAST 1,588 (78.7%) |
†Bernard Horace Mussett | RF | 1,122 | 89.8 |
| Mrs. Vera Aileen Winter | RAP | 127 | 10.2 | |
| UMTALI WEST 1,426 (81.0%) |
Desmond Butler | RF | 983 | 85.1 |
| Robert Traill Galvin | RAP | 94 | 8.1 | |
| John Oswald Meikle | NUF | 78 | 6.8 | |
| UMZINGWANE 1,726 |
†Ian Douglas Smith | RF | unopposed | |
| VICTORIA 2,071 (78.9%) |
Ormonde Corrington George | RF | 1,408 | 86.2 |
| †Gordon Richard Olds | RAP | 226 | 13.8 | |
| WANKIE 1,425 (75.1%) |
Donald Goldin | RF | 977 | 91.3 |
| William Ernest McNeir | RAP | 93 | 8.7 | |
| WATERFALLS 1,516 (79.2%) |
Albertus Herman du Toit | RF | 1,078 | 89.8 |
| John Duncan Oliver | RAP | 122 | 10.2 | |
African seats
| Constituency Electorate and turnout |
Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HARARE 1,210 (21.1%) |
Ronnie Sadomba | Ind | 147 | 57.6 |
| Tiriwanhu Mudzimu | Ind | 83 | 32.6 | |
| David Munyamana | Ind | 15 | 5.9 | |
| Milton Jack Makaya | Ind | 10 | 3.9 | |
| INSUKAMINI 514 (21.8%) |
†John Zachary Maposa | Ind | 86 | 76.8 |
| Edward Gabriel Watungwa | Ind | 26 | 23.2 | |
| KUNYASI 1,651 |
†Thomas Tavagwisa Zawaira | Ind | unopposed | |
| MABVAZUWA 1,001 |
†Elijah Smile Gende Magavan Nyandoro | Ind | unopposed | |
| MATOJENI 852 |
†Lot Enoch Dewa | Ind | unopposed | |
| MPOPOMA 434 |
Lwazi Joel Mahlangu | Ind | unopposed | |
| NEMAKONDE 880 (11.7%) |
William Benjamin Chimpaka | Ind | 77 | 74.8 |
| Fanuel Maruta | Ind | 26 | 25.2 | |
| NTSHONALANGA 836 |
†Micah Mahamba Bhebe | Ind | unopposed | |
Tribal seats
Pagati
Fani Mlingo died on 15 February 1978. On 31 March 1978, Joseph Jumo Bheka was returned unopposed to replace him. Bheka was a supporter of Bishop Abel Muzorewa.
Lowveld
Simeon Chengeta died on 19 March 1978. On 19 July 1978, a by-election was held in Lowveld. John Adonia Hungwe defeated Simon Dzichaperanhamo Bhene.
Highlands North
A by-election was held in the Highlands North constituency on 21 July 1978 to replace Fergus Blackie, who had been appointed as a Judge and resigned on 15 May 1978. This by-election occurred after the internal settlement agreement, and the Rhodesian Front candidate was therefore opposed not only by the National Unifying Force (pressing for a full settlement with African nationalists) but by two right-wing candidates opposed to any deals: the Rhodesian Action Party and the Rhodesian Conservative Alliance.
| Constituency | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HIGHLANDS NORTH | Reginald Reed Beaver | RF | 545 | 49.1 |
| Clifford Allan Redin Savory | NUF | 354 | 31.9 | |
| Marie Joseph Claude de Chasteigner Dumée-Duval | RAP | 158 | 14.2 | |
| Noel Allison Hunt | RCA | 52 | 4.7 |
Gwelo
Roger Hawkins resigned from the Assembly due to ill health on 30 November 1978, leading to a by-election in Gwelo on 30 January 1979.
| Constituency | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GWELO | Trevor Duncan Dollar | RF | 762 | 84.7 |
| Reginald James McLean | RAP | 138 | 15.3 |
Mazoe
George Rollo Hayman resigned on 27 December 1978, claiming that the power-sharing government could easily fall under the control of a terrorist group. He then resigned from the Assembly to seek re-election. This by-election, held on 6 February 1979, was the last election conducted before the advent of the new constitution.
| Constituency | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAZOE | Cecil Millar | RF | 611 | 78.7 |
| George Rollo Hayman | Ind | 165 | 21.3 |
Vacancy at dissolution
Donald Goldin (Wankie) died on 12 February 1979. The seat was not filled before Parliament was dissolved.
- 31 August 1977 House of Assembly Election African Elections Database
- John F. Burns (28 August 1977). "White Rhodesia, Its Time Running Out, Is Set to Vote". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
- John F. Burns (1 September 1977). "SMITH'S PARTY WINS RESOUNDING VICTORY IN RHODESIAN VOTING". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 June 2020.