African National Council (Zimbabwe)

Constitutional documents, 1974-1975; political papers, 1975-1976; publicity material, 1975-1977; and Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) papers, 1972.

The Zimabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) was founded in Southern Rhodesia in 1961 after Joshua Nkomo's National Democratic Party had been proscribed. It was banned in 1962 under the Unlawful Organisations Act. From August 1963 - August 1964 some of its leaders regrouped as the People's Caretaker Council; others, under the leadership of the Rev. Ndabaningi Sithole and Robert Mugabe, founded the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), which was banned in August 1964. Many ZAPU and ZANU leaders were imprisoned from 1964 - 1974. In 1971 the African National Council (ANC) was formed in Rhodesia by ZAPU and ZANU supporters under the chairmanship of Bishop Abel Muzorewa. The ANC coordinated opposition to the British settlement proposals which were the subject of the visit of the Peace Commission to Rhodesia. In 1974 there was an attempt by the newly-released detainees to unite their organisations in Lusaka under a reconstituted ANC but the unity was short lived. By 1975 there were two organisations in Rhodesia claiming to be the legitimate ANC: one which owed its loyalty to Nkomo, ANC (Zimbabwe), and the other to Bishop Muzorewa, the United African National Council.
More information can be found in R Cary and D Mitchell, African Nationalist Leaders in Rhodesia: a who's who (Bulawayo, 1977); and Zimbabwe: the facts about Rhodesia (London, 1977).

Records are open to the public, subject to the overriding provisions of relevant legislation, including data protection laws.

The Zimabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) was founded in Southern Rhodesia in 1961 after Joshua Nkomo's National Democratic Party had been proscribed. It was banned in 1962 under the Unlawful Organisations Act. From August 1963 - August 1964 some of its leaders regrouped as the People's Caretaker Council; others, under the leadership of the Rev. Ndabaningi Sithole and Robert Mugabe, founded the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), which was banned in August 1964. Many ZAPU and ZANU leaders were imprisoned from 1964 - 1974. In 1971 the African National Council (ANC) was formed in Rhodesia by ZAPU and ZANU supporters under the chairmanship of Bishop Abel Muzorewa. The ANC coordinated opposition to the British settlement proposals which were the subject of the visit of the Peace Commission to Rhodesia. In 1974 there was an attempt by the newly-released detainees to unite their organisations in Lusaka under a reconstituted ANC but the unity was short lived. By 1975 there were two organisations in Rhodesia claiming to be the legitimate ANC: one which owed its loyalty to Nkomo, ANC (Zimbabwe), and the other to Bishop Muzorewa, the United African National Council.
More information can be found in R Cary and D Mitchell, African Nationalist Leaders in Rhodesia: a who's who (Bulawayo, 1977); and Zimbabwe: the facts about Rhodesia (London, 1977).

Anne V Akeroyd and Colin P Lunt (eds.), A Guide to the Southern African Archives in the University of York, (York, 1979).
A typescript catalogue, to file level, is available for consultation in the Borthwick Institute's searchrooms.

EAD description compiled by James Towe on 19 June 2009. Retroconverted by C Fonge, 4 April 2022.

Description compiled by James Towe on 19 June 2009.

A reprographics service is available to researchers. Copying will not be undertaken if there is any risk of damage to the document. Copies are supplied in accordance with the Borthwick Institute for Archives' terms and conditions for the supply of copies, and under provisions of any relevant copyright legislation. Permission to reproduce images of documents in the custody of the Borthwick Institute must be sought.

The documents listed below were deposited with the Borthwick Institute as part of a collection formed by the Centre for Southern African Studies Documentation Project (1974-1976) at the University of York. Funded by the Leverhulme Trust Fund the Documentation Project was established to build up a collection of primary source material on southern Africa.
More details on the Southern African Documentation Project can be found in Anne V Akeroyd and Colin P Hunt (Eds.), A Guide to the Southern African Archives in the University of York, (York, 1979).

Further deposits are not expected.

Published

GB 193