1964 Rhodesian independence referendum

1964 Rhodesian independence referendum

5 November 1964
Are you in favour of or against Southern Rhodesia obtaining independence on the basis of the Constitution of Southern Rhodesia 1961?
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 58,176 90.51% No 6,101 9.49% Valid votes 64,277 98.52% Invalid or blank votes 965 1.48% Total votes 65,242 100.00% Registered voters/turnout 105,444 61.87%

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)
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v t e

A referendum on independence was held in Rhodesia on 5 November 1964. The question put to voters was, "Are you in favour of or against Rhodesia obtaining independence on the basis of the 1961 Constitution of Rhodesia?" The result was a landslide for the "yes" vote, which was the choice of over 90% of voters, although less than 15% of the voter roll was black.^[1] Prime Minister Ian Smith called an indaba with tribal leaders to gauge support, resulting in universal support among the tribal leaders, but Britain did not consider this representative of the majority black population as the tribal leaders were in the pay of the government.^[2] The following year, Smith's government made a Unilateral Declaration of Independence, making the country a de facto independent state until returning to British colonial rule in 1979 following the Lancaster House Agreement. The British Government did not accept Rhodesian independence as they did not view the referendum as representative of all of Rhodesia.

Voter turnout was 62%.^[3]

Results

References

This page was last edited on 27 April 2023, at 01:11