Records of the United African National Council

Papers from Victoria Falls (1975) and Geneva (1976) conferences. UANC occasional papers: 'The African National Council' by Gordon Chavunduka and 'The UANC at Geneva and the Future', 1977. Speeches by Morton Malianga, E.M. Gabellah, Gordon Chavunduka, 1975-1977. Press releases, 1975-1977. Transcripts of interviews with Bishop Muzorewa and Edson Sithole. Research paper, 'Jawing it instead of warring it: towards an assessment of the Africa National Council' by Chris Sherwell, 1974.

The African National Council was formed on 16th December 1971 to 'give coherent expression to African abhorrence of the (Pearce) Proposals for a settlement' (E. Mlambo, Rhodesia: the struggle for a birthright. London 1972). The Council was intended to be an umbrella for Zimbabwean nationalist groups and included, at first, both Zimbabwe African Peoples' Union and Zimbabwe African National Union members on the executive committee. The Council was led by the methodist Bishop Abel Muzorewa. On 7th December 1974, Muzorewa and the leaders of the three organisation who controlled the guerilla forces, (ZAPU, ZANU and FROLIZI (Front for the Liberation of Zimbabwe)), signed a Declaration of Unity in Lusaka but, after a leadership struggle between Bishop Muzorewa and Joshua Nkomo, there was a split within the ANC in September 1975 and Nkomo's supporters formed the ANC (Zimbabwe) which, in effect, became the internal legal wing of the banned ZAPU. The party was renamed the United African National Council in 1977. Muzorewa became leader of the United African National Council, in early 1979 the largest of the organised nationalist parties within the country. The UANC though it has external representation, has no guerrilla forces and is not supported by any of the 'Front Line' African Presidents. The UANC was one of the four parties involved in the Transitional government. It won 51 out of the 72 African seats in the April 1979 Elections and Muzorewa was sworn in as Prime Minister-elect, of the new Zimbabwe-Rhodesia Government of National Unity on May 29th 1979. The Presidency of the new state went to the UANC candidate, Mr Josiah Gumede, from Bulawayo.

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

The African National Council was formed on 16th December 1971 to 'give coherent expression to African abhorrence of the (Pearce) Proposals for a settlement' (E. Mlambo, Rhodesia: the struggle for a birthright. London 1972). The Council was intended to be an umbrella for Zimbabwean nationalist groups and included, at first, both Zimbabwe African Peoples' Union and Zimbabwe African National Union members on the executive committee. The Council was led by the methodist Bishop Abel Muzorewa. On 7th December 1974, Muzorewa and the leaders of the three organisation who controlled the guerilla forces, (ZAPU, ZANU and FROLIZI (Front for the Liberation of Zimbabwe)), signed a Declaration of Unity in Lusaka but, after a leadership struggle between Bishop Muzorewa and Joshua Nkomo, there was a split within the ANC in September 1975 and Nkomo's supporters formed the ANC (Zimbabwe) which, in effect, became the internal legal wing of the banned ZAPU. The party was renamed the United African National Council in 1977. Muzorewa became leader of the United African National Council, in early 1979 the largest of the organised nationalist parties within the country. The UANC though it has external representation, has no guerrilla forces and is not supported by any of the 'Front Line' African Presidents. The UANC was one of the four parties involved in the Transitional government. It won 51 out of the 72 African seats in the April 1979 Elections and Muzorewa was sworn in as Prime Minister-elect, of the new Zimbabwe-Rhodesia Government of National Unity on May 29th 1979. The Presidency of the new state went to the UANC candidate, Mr Josiah Gumede, from Bulawayo.

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