1980 Southern Rhodesian general election

1980 Southern Rhodesian general election

← 1979 14 February–4 March 1980 1985 →
All 100 seats in the House of Assembly
First party Second party   Leader Robert Mugabe Joshua Nkomo Party ZANU ZAPU Last election N/A N/A Seats won 57 (Common Roll) 20 (Common Roll) Seat change N/A N/A Popular vote 1,668,992 (Common Roll) 638,879 (Common Roll) Percentage 63.0% (Common Roll) 24.1% (Common Roll)   Third party Fourth party   Leader Ian Smith Abel Muzorewa Party RF UANC Last election 28 (White Roll) 51 Seats won 20 (White Roll) 3 (Common Roll) Seat change 8 48 Popular vote 13,621 (White Roll) 219,307 (Common Roll) Percentage 83.0% (White Roll) 8.3% (Common Roll)
Prime Minister before election Abel Muzorewa UANC Prime Minister-designate Robert Mugabe ZANU

Politics of Rhodesia
Political history — Overview 1890–1923  BSA Company rule 1923–1980  Southern Rhodesia 1953–1963  Rhodesia–Nyasaland Federation 1965–1979  Rhodesia under UDI  1979  Zimbabwe Rhodesia (under UDI)
Government Governor / Queen / President Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister Cabinet
Legislature 1899–1923  Legislative Council 1924–1970  Legislative Assembly 1970–1979  Parliament Leader of the Opposition
Elections General 1924 1928 1933 1934 1939 1946 1948 1954 1958 1962 1965 1970 1974 1977 1979 1980 Legislative Council 1899 1902 1905 1908 1911 1914 1920 Referendums 1922 1934 1953 1961 1964 1969 1979
Political parties African National Congress Communist Party Labour Party Liberal Party Rhodesia Party Rhodesian Action Party Rhodesian Front United African National Council United Federal Party Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU)
Foreign relations Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) Ministry of External Affairs Mission in Lisbon Centre in Sydney Passport
National symbols Flag (other flags) Anthem
Other countries
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General elections were held in Southern Rhodesia between 14 February and 4 March 1980 to elect the members of the House of Assembly of the first Parliament of the independent Zimbabwe.^[1][2] As stipulated by the new Constitution of Zimbabwe produced by the Lancaster House Conference, the new House of Assembly was to comprise 100 members, 80 of whom would be elected proportionally by province by all adult citizens on a common roll, and 20 of whom would be elected in single-member constituencies by whites on a separate roll.

The result was a victory for Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union, contesting the election as ZANU–PF, which won 57 of the 80 common roll seats, giving it a majority in the 100-member House of Assembly. Joshua Nkomo's Zimbabwe African People's Union, contesting the election as the Patriotic Front, won 20 of the 80 common roll seats, with the remaining 3 going to Abel Muzorewa's United African National Council. Ian Smith's Rhodesian Front won all 20 of the white roll seats, with most of its candidates running unopposed. As a result of the election, Robert Mugabe became Zimbabwe's first prime minister upon the country's independence on 11 April 1980.

There was widespread violence during the election.^[3]