Internal Settlement

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The Internal Settlement refers to the negotiations between Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith and the 'moderate' black nationalist leaders in 1978.

[edit] Negotiations

Fed up with the sanctions leveled against Rhodesia by the International community, plus outright political pressure from South Africa, Great Britain and the United States, the Rhodesian government sat down with its internal moderate black nationalist leaders to thrash out an agreement.

This agreement led directly to the election of 1979, which brought to power Bishop Abel Muzorewa and his party, the UANC. The election had been witnessed by international observers, who were all in complete agreement that everything had been free and fair. Muzorewa was set to take over the premiership from Prime Minister Smith on the 1st June 1979.

[edit] Rhodesia becomes Zimbabwe-Rhodesia and adopts a new flag

Once Muzorewa had taken over the new government of national unity, the country was renamed Zimbabwe Rhodesia and a new national flag was raised over Salisbury (now Harare), signifying the transition. It was expected that all sanctions would be lifted, now that the country was under democratically elected black majority rule.

This however, did not lead to the lifting of sanctions as the hard-line parties ZAPU and ZANU were not involved in the political process. Because of this, the British Government pressurized the weak willed Muzorewa to take part in the Lancaster House Conference in late 1979, which they said would lead directly to international recognition for the country, and the lifting of sanctions.

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