The Prime Minister of Rhodesia (until 1964 Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia) was the head of government in the colony of Rhodesia. Rhodesia's political system was modelled on the Westminster system and the Prime Minister's role was similar to that of the same position in other countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Dominion of Newfoundland, and at that time, South Africa.
[edit] History
The British colony of Southern Rhodesia was created on 1 October 1923. From 1953 to 1963, Northern Rhodesia (later Zambia), Southern Rhodesia (later Rhodesia and then Zimbabwe) and Nyasaland (later Malawi) were joined in the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, which was also known as the Central African Federation, with Godfrey Huggins as Prime Minister from 1953 to 1956 followed by Sir Roy Welensky from 1956 to the federation's dissolution on 31 December 1963. When Northern Rhodesia gained independence as Zambia on 24 October 1964, Southern Rhodesia changed its name to Rhodesia.
Prime Minister Ian Smith's government issued a Unilateral Declaration of Independence from Britain in 1965, and he remained Prime Minister when the country was declared a republic in 1970. Under the Internal Settlement in 1979, after a long period of conflict, the country became known as Zimbabwe Rhodesia, with Abel Muzorewa as its first black Prime Minister.
None of these acts were recognised internationally, and under the Lancaster House Agreement the country's government agreed to revert to colonial status in 1979 in order to facilitate the introduction of majority rule and the creation of the independent state of Zimbabwe in 1980.
The office of Prime Minister of Zimbabwe was abolished in 1987, when Robert Mugabe became executive President. However, in 2008, it was restored through political negotiations, resulting in Morgan Tsvangirai becoming the first prime minister of the country in over 21 years.
[edit] List of Prime Ministers of Rhodesia
(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)
| Tenure |
Portrait |
Incumbent |
Affiliation |
Notes |
| Southern Rhodesia |
Self-governing colony |
| 1 October 1923 to 28 August 1927 |
 |
Charles Patrick John Coghlan, Premier |
RP |
Died in office |
| 2 September 1927 to 5 July 1933 |
|
Howard Unwin Moffat, Premier |
RP |
|
| 5 July 1933 to 12 September 1933 |
|
George Mitchell, Prime Minister |
RP |
|
| 12 September 1933 to 7 September 1953 |
 |
Godfrey Huggins, Prime Minister |
RP/UP/URP |
From 1 January 1941, Sir Godfrey Huggins |
| 7 September 1953 to 17 February 1958 |
 |
Garfield Todd, Prime Minister |
URP/UFP |
|
| 17 February 1958 to 17 December 1962 |
 |
Sir Edgar Whitehead, Prime Minister |
UFP |
|
| 17 December 1962 to 13 April 1964 |
|
Winston Field, Prime Minister |
RF |
|
| 13 April 1964 to 11 November 1965 |
|
Ian Smith, Prime Minister |
RF |
|
| Rhodesia |
Unilateral Declaration of Independence from United Kingdom |
| 11 November 1965 to 2 March 1970 |
|
Ian Smith, Prime Minister |
RF |
|
| Republic of Rhodesia |
| 2 March 1970 to 1 June 1979 |
|
Ian Smith, Prime Minister |
RF |
|
[edit] Affiliations
[edit] See also
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| Heads of state |
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| Heads of government |
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| Defunct heads of state and government |
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