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The Rhodesia Herald,
February 21, 1979
THE 1979 Constitution of Zimbabwe Rhodesia Bill, paving the way for one-man-one-vote and black rule, yesterday completed its protracted passage through the House of Assembly with a 48 to six affirmative votes at its third reading.
The Prime Minister, Mr Ian Smith, was in his place to vote for the new constitution.
It required the support of two-thirds of the membership in the 66-seat Assembly set up under the 1969 constitution enacted by Mr Smith’s Rhodesian Front less than 10 years ago.
The Speaker, Colonel George Hartley, ordered the third reading division since it affected the repeal of entrenched sections of the 1969 Constitution.
As the division bells rang, three of the 16 black MPs registered their abstention by walking out.
They were Mr Elijah Nyandoro (Ind, Mabvazuwa), the only black who unequivocally praised the Bill in debate, Mr Patrick Bwanya (Ind, Zambesi) and Mr Ronald Sadomba (Ind, Harare) who criticised the new constitution despite being a founder member of Bishop Muzorewa’s United African National Council – a party to the Transitional Government.
Mr Micah Bhebe (Ind, Ntshonalanga), Mr John Maposa (Ind, Insukamini), Mr Benjamin Mbuisa (Ind, Pioneer), Mr Peter Nkomo (Ind, Kariba), Mr Lot Dewa (Ind, Matonjeni) and Mr Joel Mahlangu (Ind, Mpopoma) were the six who lined up in the “noes” lobby.
The new majority rule House of Assembly to be voted into power in April will have the black-white proportions reversed – there will be 72 blacks, not 16, and the 50 whites will be reduced to 28.
Rhodesian Front MPs greeted the result of the division with derisive groans in the wake of the 10-hour marathons on both the second reading and debate and the committee stage.
The third reading attracted a brief statement from the Rhodesian MP for Milton Park, Mr John Landau the Deputy Chief Whip, who placed his support on record and hoped the Constitution would meet the aspirations of the people of Rhodesia in the years to come.
Speaking for the opposition, Mr Bhebe reiterated that the claim that it would not bring peace.
“We believe it won’t bring free and fair elections.” He said the opposition condemned the method of giving the whites the power to veto future constitutional amendments, and also the cross voting system that would allow whites, 22 of their own candidates while also having a say in the election of 72 blacks on the common role. The co-Minister of Justice, Mr Chris Andersen, said Mr Bhebe had merely repeated some of the points he already raised several times during the passage of the Bill.
“The member betrays a dismal inability to appreciate that while meeting the aspirations of the black people of this country on the one hand, it is also necessary to safeguards as far as blacks and whites are concerned, to avoid any breakdown of the law and order, and chaos, and to proceed to peace and prosperity,” he said.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
- On January 1, 1964, the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was dissolved. Southern Rhodesia had previously joined Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and Nyasaland (Malawi) to form the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland on August 1, 1953.
- Some of the problems that African countries experience up to this day are a result of the negative impacts of colonialism.
- The primary objective of colonialism is for white people to exert political and economic influence over black people.
Online Reporter