The Rhodesia general election of July 30, 1974 saw the Rhodesian Front

Rhodesian Front

The Rhodesian Front was a political party in Southern Rhodesia when the country was under white minority rule. Led first by Winston Field, and, from 1964, by Ian Smith, the Rhodesian Front was the successor to the Dominion Party, which was the main opposition party in Southern Rhodesia during the...

 of Ian Smith

Ian Smith

Ian Douglas Smith GCLM ID was a politician active in the government of Southern Rhodesia, the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Zimbabwe from 1948 to 1987, most notably serving as Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 13 April 1964 to 1 June 1979...

 re-elected, once more winning every one of the 50 seats elected by white voters.

Background

Since the previous election in 1970, the main African nationalist groups had changed their strategy and gone into exile in Zambia

Zambia

Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....

 (and to a lesser extent Mozambique

Mozambique

Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...

 and Botswana

Botswana

Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...

), launching a war

Rhodesian Bush War

The Rhodesian Bush War – also known as the Second Chimurenga or the Zimbabwe War of Liberation – was a civil war which took place between July 1964 and December 1979 in the unrecognised country of Rhodesia...

 to overthrow white minority rule by force. The main African groups, the Zimbabwe African National Union

Zimbabwe African National Union

The Zimbabwe African National Union was a militant organization that fought against the standing government in Rhodesia, formed as a split from the Zimbabwe African People's Union...

 (ZANU), Zimbabwe African People's Union

Zimbabwe African People's Union

The Zimbabwe African People's Union was a militant organization and political party that fought for the national liberation of Zimbabwe from its founding in 1961 until it merged with the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front in December 1987....

 (ZAPU) and the Front for the Liberation of Zimbabwe

Front for the Liberation of Zimbabwe

The Front for the Liberation of Zimbabwe was a militant nationalist organization that fought against the government of Rhodesia from its founding in October 1971 until it merged into the African National Congress on 6 December 1974. Dissatisfied members of the Zimbabwe African People's Union and...

 (FROLIZI), formed the African National Council under Bishop Abel Muzorewa

Abel Muzorewa

Bishop Abel Tendekayi Muzorewa served as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Rhodesia from the Internal Settlement to the Lancaster House Agreement in 1979...

 to act as a collective political leadership and undertake any negotiations with the Rhodesian government.

In June 1974, the African National Council rejected settlement proposals which had come out of discussions between itself and the Rhodesian government. As the Rhodesian Parliament was into its fifth year, a general election became a real prospect. Timothy Gibbs of the Rhodesia Party announced on June 9, 1974 that he expected a September election, and on June 19, Prime Minister Ian Smith announced that there would be an election imminently (he did not name the date). He also announced round table talks with Africans, including the Council of Chiefs. These talks were rejected by the African National Council as a waste of time.

Campaign

The Rhodesia Party, a white opposition party, had been formed by ex-Rhodesian Front MP Allan Savory

Allan Savory

Allan Redin Savory is a Zimbabwean biologist, farmer, soldier, exile, environmentalist and winner of the Banksia International Award 2003. and winner of the Buckminster Fuller Award 2010...

 in 1972. They were a moderate group which advocated more moves towards including the African population in internal politics. Early in June 1974, Savory made a speech at Hartley in which he was reported as saying that if he had been a black Rhodesian, he would be a terrorist. The uproar was such that Savory was forced from the leadership (replaced by Gibbs) and resigned from the party on June 16. Despite the turmoil, the Rhodesia Party managed to nominate candidates in 40 out of the 50 seats.

There were also several Independent candidates including six right-wingers sponsored by the Rhodesian Group. The multi-racial Centre Party, which had provided the main opposition at the previous election, nominated a single candidate (who was from an Indian background). When nominations closed on July 7, two seats (including that of Ian Smith) were elected unopposed. A victory by the Rhodesian Front was almost inevitable, although six seats were regarded as marginal.

The most marginal seat was clearly Salisbury

Harare

Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...

 City, where a right-wing Rhodesian Front candidate Ted Sutton-Pryce faced Dr Ahrn Palley

Ahrn Palley

Dr. Ahrn Palley was an independent politician in Rhodesia who criticized the Smith administration and the Unilateral Declaration of Independence...

, an Independent ex-member of the House of Assembly who had been a lone white opponent of UDI. In the 1970 election, the Rhodesian Front had defeated a mixed-race Independent candidate by only 40 votes, with a Centre Party candidate taking 157. Allan Savory, despite his departure from the Rhodesia Party, fought in Highlands North in the Salisbury suburbs as an Independent.

The Rhodesian Front responded to the challenge from the Rhodesia Party by attacking it for holding secret negotiations with the African National Council behind the backs of the Rhodesia government with the intent of undermining them. Ian Smith identified the Rhodesia Party with the 'liberal establishment' of Rhodesia, which had been responsible for the 1962 constitution and the inadequate arrangements of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland

Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland

The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, also known as the Central African Federation , was a semi-independent state in southern Africa that existed from 1953 to the end of 1963, comprising the former self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia and the British protectorates of Northern Rhodesia,...

 in 1953.

Electoral system

The electorate of Rhodesia

Rhodesia

Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...

 returned 66 members of the House of Assembly, in three different classes of seat:

• European roll seats: 50 members were returned from single-member constituencies by voters who were either of European, Asian or mixed (Coloured) descent.
• African roll seats: 8 members were returned from single-member constituencies by voters of African descent.
• Tribal seats: 8 seats were returned by Tribal electoral colleges made up of the Chiefs of the Tribes.

Both European and African rolls had a range of property qualifications. No change to boundaries or the qualification of voters was made compared to the 1970 election.

State of the parties

Party	Seats
Rhodesian Front	50
Independents	9
African National Council Independents	6
Centre Party	1
Total	66

European seats

Electorate: 83,665 (80,437 in contested seats)
Turnout: 89.8%

Party	Seats in 1970	Candidates	Elected	Unopposed	Popular vote
%	change
Rhodesian Front Rhodesian Front The Rhodesian Front was a political party in Southern Rhodesia when the country was under white minority rule. Led first by Winston Field, and, from 1964, by Ian Smith, the Rhodesian Front was the successor to the Dominion Party, which was the main opposition party in Southern Rhodesia during the...	50	50	50	2	55,597	77.0
Rhodesia Party	-	40	-	-	13,776	19.1
Independents	-	11	-	-	2,085	2.9
Rhodesian Group Independents	-	6	-	-	736	1.0
Centre Party	-	1	-	-	25	0.0
Totals	50	108	50	2	72,219	100%

African seats

Electorate: 7,043
Turnout: 42.31%

Party	Seats in 1970	Candidates	Elected	Unopposed	Popular vote
%	change
African National Council Independents	-	6	6	1	1,590	53.36
Independents	-	13	1	-	853	28.6
Centre Party	-	4	1	-	477	16.0
APP	-	-	-	-	44	1.5
NSF	-	-	-	-	6	0.2
Totals	6	28	6	1	2,980	100%

European roll seats

Constituency Electorate and turnout	Candidate	Party	Votes	%
ARUNDEL 2,393 (93.1%)	Archibald Oliver Garfield Wilson	RF	1,505	67.5
	Nicholas John McNally	RP	723	32.5
AVONDALE 1,983 (90.9%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Dr Colin Eric Barlow	RF	1,397	77.5
	Mrs. Myfanwy Eleanor Bridget Nolan van Huffen	RP	405	22.5
BELLEVUE 2,272 (92.7%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Wallace Evelyn Stuttaford	RF	1,735	82.3
	Robert Duncan Bothwell Fleming	RP	372	17.7
BELVEDERE 1,862 (91.6%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Dennis Divaris	RF	1,155	67.7
	Ralph Albert Newmarch	RP	456	26.7
	John Fraser Caladine Whiting	Ind RG	69	4.0
	Ratilal Damodar Devchand	CP	25	1.5
BORROWDALE 2,672 (91.2%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Dr Douglas Archibald Hamilton Ritchie	RF	1,596	65.5
	Peter Anthony Bridger	RP	835	34.3
	Mrs. Wendy Ann Truen	Ind	6	0.2
BRAESIDE 1,570 (89.0%)	Richard Cartwright	RF	1,269	90.8
	David Murray	Ind RG	128	9.2
BULAWAYO CENTRAL 1,252 (90.7%)	Edward Stanley White	RF	722	63.6
	Timothy Durant Gibbs	RP	414	36.4
BULAWAYO DISTRICT 1,613 (88.9%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Alexander Moseley	RF	1,112	77.5
	Michael Theodore Hayes Auret	RP	322	22.5
BULAWAYO EAST 2,080 (91.4%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Elias Broomberg	RF	1,274	67.0
	Jurick Goldwasser	RP	628	33.0
BULAWAYO NORTH 1,725 (83.1%)	Wilfrid Denis Walker	RF	1,339	93.4
	Austen Sales Perkins	Ind	94	6.6
BULAWAYO SOUTH 1,071 (87.1%)	Ian Peter Rees-Davies	RF	697	74.7
	Ronald Edward Clark	RP	236	25.3
CHARTER 1,417 (87.6%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Rowan Cronjé	RF	1,147	92.4
	Neil Diarmid Campbell Housman Herbert Wilson	Ind RG	94	7.6
EASTERN 1,312 (91.7%)	John Hamilton Wright	RF	952	79.1
	Obe Veldman	RP	251	20.9
GATOOMA 1,410 (92.3%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Albert Gannaway Mells	RF	1,098	84.3
	Dr Raymond Thomas Mossop	RP	203	15.7
GREENDALE 2,050 (92.6%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Mark Henry Heathcote Partridge	RF	1,332	70.2
	Norman James Hendry	RP	373	19.7
	Ernest Roy Wright	Ind RG	193	10.2
GWEBI 1,328 (89.7%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Thomas Ian Fraser Sandeman	RF	939	78.8
	James Strathearn Brown	RP	252	21.2
GWELO 1,257 (91.6%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Roger Tancred Robert Hawkins	RF	971	84.4
	Gordon Hamilton Peters	RP	180	15.6
HARTLEY 2,135 (91.9%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Pieter Kenyon Fleming Voltelyn van der Byl P. K. van der Byl Pieter Kenyon Fleming-Voltelyn van der Byl, ID was a South African-born Rhodesian politician who served as the country's Foreign Minister from 1974 to 1979 as a member of the Rhodesian Front...	RF	1,668	85.0
	James McClure Sinclair	RP	295	15.0
HATFIELD 1,768 (90.8%)	Frederick Roy Simmonds	RF	1,231	76.7
	William John Harper	RP	288	17.9
	Jack Peche	Ind	80	5.0
	Christoph William Utley	Ind	6	0.4
HIGHLANDS NORTH 1,779 (92.4%)	Fergus Craig Blackie	RF	931	56.7
	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Clifford Allan Redin Savory	Ind	394	24.0
	Philip Robert James Grinham	RP	230	14.0
	Mrs. Diana Mary Mitchell	Ind	88	5.3
HIGHLANDS SOUTH 1,886 (91.4%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Richard Brathwaite Hope Hall	RF	1,299	75.3
	Marcus Patrick Doyle	RP	425	24.7
HILLCREST 1,727 (93.1%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... John Arthur Newington	RF	1,390	86.4
	Peter Henry Corbishley	RP	218	13.6
HILLSIDE 1,834 (93.3%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Dennis Fawcett Phillips	RF	1,143	66.8
	Ewen Cardno Greenfield	RP	569	33.2
JAMESON 1,700 (85.2%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... John Peter Broberg Nilson	RF	1,264	87.2
	Raymond Stallwood	Ind	185	12.8
KAROI 1,241 (85.0%)	Jan Jacobus Buitendag	RF	842	79.8
	Peter William Richards	RP	213	20.2
MABELREIGN 1,823 (89.6%)	John Cornelius Gleig	RF	1,171	71.7
	Dr Ian George Anderson	RP	462	28.3
MARANDELLAS 1,446 (91.4%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... David Colville Smith	RF	1,046	79.1
	Alfred John Harrison	RP	276	20.9
MARLBOROUGH 2,608 (72.3%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... William Michie Irvine	RF	1,479	78.5
	Nigel Graham-Smith	RP	406	21.5
MATOBO 1,673 (88.0%)	Robert Henry Warren McGee	RF	1,218	82.7
	Marshall Philip Baron	Ind	255	17.3
MAZOE 1,589 (92.5%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... George Rollo Hayman	RF	1,241	84.4
	Henry John Wells	RP	229	15.6
MIDLANDS 1,258 (92.4%)	Henry Swan Elsworth	RF	1,009	86.8
	William Septimus Beckett	RP	154	13.2
MILTON PARK 1,664 (91.2%)	John Alfred Landau	RF	1,135	74.8
	Niels Erik Oldenburg	RP	382	25.2
MOUNT PLEASANT 1,882 (90.5%)	Jonas Christian Andersen	RF	1,045	61.3
	Mrs. Muriel Ena Rosin	RP	658	38.7
MTOKO 1,718 (91.7%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Rodney Guy Swayne Simmonds	RF	1,070	67.9
	Guy Kerry Webb	RP	506	32.1
QUEENS PARK 1,530	Arthur Denis Crook	RF	unopposed
QUE QUE 1,632 (91.9%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Jacobus Johannes Burger	RF	1,201	80.1
	Louis Henry Bennett	RP	299	19.9
RAYLTON 1,844 (90.3%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Patrick Francis Shields	RF	1,223	73.5
	James Kinley	RP	442	26.5
RUSAPE 1,295 (95.2%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Johannes Jacobus Lodewickus de Kock	RF	1,040	84.3
	Raymond Boxwell Holcroft	RP	193	15.7
SALISBURY CENTRAL 1,250 (88.2%)	Hilary Gwyn Squires Hilary Squires Hilary Gwyn Squires is a retired South African judge and barrister, who was brought in to preside over the Schabir Shaik fraud and corruption trial in Durban, South Africa, so as not to tie up legal proceedings elsewhere while the trial proceeded....	RF	855	77.5
	Lance Halford Reynolds	RP	216	19.6
	Patrick Gerard Keane	Ind	32	2.9
SALISBURY CITY 1,309 (89.3%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Edward Aylett Sutton-Pryce	RF	586	50.1
	Dr Ahrn Palley Ahrn Palley Dr. Ahrn Palley was an independent politician in Rhodesia who criticized the Smith administration and the Unilateral Declaration of Independence...	Ind	583	49.9
SALISBURY NORTH 1,588 (91.1%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Andre Sothern Holland	RF	1,103	76.2
	John Philip Gold Duncan	RP	344	23.8
SELUKWE 1,682 (90.7%)	John Morris Lowenthal	RF	1,249	81.9
	Trevor Foster Booth	RP	187	12.3
	Dr James William Redmond	Ind RG	89	5.8
SHABANI 1,266 (83.8%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Ian Birt Harper Dillon	RF	944	89.0
	Geoffrey Jackson	RP	117	11.0
SINOIA/UMWUKWES 1,531 (88.1%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Esmond Meryl Micklem	RF	1,057	78.4
	Robert Arnold Anderson	RP	292	21.6
UMTALI EAST 1,571 (91.2%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Bernard Horace Mussett	RF	1,203	83.9
	John Grant	RP	230	16.1
UMTALI WEST 1,437 (90.1%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... John Christie	RF	933	72.0
	Dr Johannes Martheus Wessels	RP	362	28.0
UMZINGWANE 1,698	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Ian Douglas Smith Ian Smith Ian Douglas Smith GCLM ID was a politician active in the government of Southern Rhodesia, the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Zimbabwe from 1948 to 1987, most notably serving as Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 13 April 1964 to 1 June 1979...	RF	unopposed
VICTORIA 2,071 (89.5%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Gordon Richard Olds	RF	1,530	82.6
	Peter Southerton Hingeston	RP	323	17.4
WANKIE 1,432 (86.6%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Reginald Edward Dennis Cowper	RF	1,068	86.1
	Michael Raymond Huckle	RP	172	13.9
WATERFALLS 1,531 (87.9%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Arthur Philip Smith	RF	1,183	87.9
	Norman Henry	Ind RG	163	12.1

African seats

Constituency Electorate and turnout	Candidate	Party	Votes	%
HARARE 1,118 (63.7%)	Godfrey Guwa Chidyausiku Godfrey Chidyausiku Godfrey Guwa Chidyausiku is a Zimbabwean judge and former politician. He was involved in politics during Rhodesia's unilaterally declared independence, being a member of the Rhodesia House of Assembly...	Ind ANC	424	59.6
	Isaac Hanzi Samuriwo	Ind	145	20.4
	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Edward Gabriel Watungwa	CP	71	10.0
	Lovemore Christopher Mbanga	Ind	32	4.5
	Ian George Garikayi Charambarara	Ind	24	3.4
	Hativakwane Lewis Mundawarara	Ind	10	1.4
	Mark Taurai Muchabaiwa	NSF	6	0.8
INSUKAMINI 481 (64.7%)	John Zachary Maposa	Ind ANC	188	60.5
	Phillip Elijah Chigogo	Ind	71	22.8
	Judah John Ntini	Ind	30	9.6
	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Lewis Alban Ndhlovu	CP	15	4.8
	Joseph Bunu Ngulube	APP	7	2.3
KUNYASI 1,543	Thomas Tavagwisa Zawairi	Ind ANC	unopposed
MABVAZUKA 946 (57.8%)	Elijah Smile Gende Magavan Nyandoro	Ind ANC	253	46.3
	Davidson Murambiwa Jahwi	Ind	123	22.5
	Moses Mvenge	Ind	63	11.5
	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Lazarus Masenda	CP	52	9.5
	Ambrose Charles Majongwe	APP	31	5.7
	Solomon Gomba Zisengwe	Ind	25	4.6
MATOJENI 905 (51.2%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Lot Enock Dewa	Ind ANC	452	97.6
	Samson Chibi	APP	11	2.4
MPOPOMA 394 (52.5%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Lwazi Joel Mahlangu	Ind	149	72.0
	Theophilus Mali Zondo	Ind	58	28.0
NEMAKONDE 867 (37.9%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Ronald T.D. Sadomba	Ind ANC	273	83.0
	Stephen Amos Dzuka Chirenda	Ind	51	15.5
	Mulena Mwana Sherena Mundawarara	APP	5	1.5
NTSHONALANGA 789 (52.1%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Micah Mahamba Bhebe	CP	339	82.5
	Ephraim Jiho Mhlanga	Ind	72	17.5

Tribal seats

• HIGHVELD: Bartholomew Augustine Mabika
• KARIBA: Peter Mhletshwa Nkomo
• LOWVELD: Alford Dzingirai Chademana
• MANICA: †
  Incumbent
  The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
  
  Naboth Absolom Gandazara
• PAGATI: Fani Mlingo
• PIONEER: †
  Incumbent
  The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
  
  Josia Bvajurayi Hove
• TULU: Zephaniah Bafana Dube
• ZAMBEZI: †
  Incumbent
  The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
  
  Takawira Aaron Mungate

Pioneer

Josia Hove died on June 14, 1976. At the byelection on August 5, 1976, Adam Hove was elected to replace him; Benjamin Panga Mbuisa and Twyman Mafohla Sibanda were unsuccessful candidates.

Party changes

The Land Tenure Amendment Bill of 1977 was highly controversial among Rhodesian Front MPs who objected to the opening of some areas previously designated for Europeans to African ownership. In a vote on March 4, 1977, twelve Rhodesian Front MPs voted against the Bill on a three line whip. They were Reginald Cowper, Dennis Fawcett Phillips, Richard Hope Hall, Robert McGee, John Newington, Peter Nilson, Gordon Olds, Ian Sandeman, Rodney Simmonds and Ted Sutton-Pryce. The Rhodesian press quickly nicknamed them The Dirty Dozen. In July 1977 these MPs formed the right-wing Rhodesian Action Party; this action precipitated the 1977 election

Rhodesia general election, 1977

The Rhodesia general election of 1977, the last general election dominated by the white minority, took place on August 31, 1977. Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith, who was conducting negotiations with moderate African nationalists, was forced into an early election by the defection of twelve MPs...

as it deprived the government of the needed two-thirds majority to amend the constitution.