adminRhodesia Herald March 4, 1978
HISTORY was recorded in Rhodesia yesterday.
At precisely 10.20 am, the Prime Minister, Mr Ian Smith, sitting before a battery of 100 international Press reporters and television cameramen, effectively signed away white rule in the country.
The Prime Minister and the leaders of the three nationalist delegations, the Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole, Bishop Abel Muzorewa and Senator Chief Chirau, signed what many international observers had said would be the impossible – a constitutional agreement that leads to black majority rule in Rhodesia by the end of the year.
The signing of the settlement agreement will begin a process that will transform Rhodesia into black-ruled Zimbabwe by December 31 of this year.
The signatories to the agreement have with immediate effect formed a top tier executive council of an interim government that will oversee the transition to black rule.
It is not known when the interim government will come into being, but certainly it will not be before the end of next week, when Bishop Muzorewa is due to return from talks in London with the British Foreign Secretary, Dr David Owen, and a possible visit to the United Nations.
The Prime Minister who has defied international pressure for the past 13 years since the declaration of independence, was flanked on his right side by Bishop Muzorewa dressed in Liberian national costume, and on his left by Chief Chirau who has played a far greater role in bringing about the internal settlement than was ever realised.
Next to Chief Chirau was the Rev. Ndabaningi Sithole of the ANC (S).
Bishop Muzorewa’s signature was the most important aspect of yesterday’s agreement, for less than 24 hours earlier, he had threatened to disrupt the entire settlement proceedings by presenting fresh proposals, believed to have been initiated after a visit to Salisbury this week by a British envoy from Pretoria.
The agreement was signed by the four heads of delegations after they had held a short plenary session at the red-bricked building in Highlands that was formerly the Governor’s lodge.
Chief Chirau was the first to enter the room and sit himself before the 100-strong battery of journalists. He was followed by Mr Sithole, then by Mr Smith and finally by the resplendently robbed bishop.
The signing, which was witnessed by nationalist leaders and representatives of the Rhodesian Government, was made on a green baize cloth covered table. Immediately behind Bishop Muzorewa was a water colour etching of Cecil John Rhodes – this country’s founder.
The painting had been brought to the Georgian style building from Mr Smith’s office in the city centre.
Before the signing agreement it was placed on the cream coloured wall. Why? “To add history to the ceremony,” said a Government official.
After the ceremony, the painting was removed and taken back to Mr Smith’s office.
It was just one small bit of colour in a day that will go down, not only in Rhodesia’s history, but that of the world. And it was probably the only aspect of the dramatic proceedings that took place that added a touch of light relief.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
The making of history can be foolhardy and long-winded. Smith, Muzorewa, Sithole and Chirau thought that their Zimbabwe had arrived, but little did they know that this was nothing but a mirage.
An agreement, no matter how important, cannot be binding or succeed unless all parties involved accede to it.
In this case, the agreement was deemed momentous but majority rule was only achieved two years later after the late former President Robert Gabriel Mugabe and former Vice President Joshua Nkomo as the leaders of Zanu (PF) and PF-Zapu that were involved in the liberation war, came on board at the Lancaster House Conference.
Online Reporter