BISHOP Abei Muzorewa's lacklustre performance as the saviour of white Rhodesia is arousing growing concern in British ruling circles.
The 'internal settlement' remains unrecognised by the worid. parliament elected in April is torn by disputes. The Patriotic Front guerillas continue to do well in the war. All this convincing the Tories all-party agreement is the only way to guarantee a pro-Western settlement.
Muzorewa's latest DSLUIC
been to renew offers of an amnesty to defecting Patriotic Front guerrilias. But the problem is not military one at all.
During the elections the Rhodesian state had some 70,000 people under arms. These are supplemented some 8,000 black auxiliaries party militias groupcu detachment known as Pfumo Revanhu (Spear of the People).
The white forces have recently received up-to-date arms LICHLO South Africa armoured cars, troop transporters, cruisers and arlE ammunition — as well as US-made Huey helicopter gunships which saw service in Vietnam.
The Patriotic Front, meanwhile, has no more than 12,000 guerillas ip the field 2-3,000 ZAPU, 8-9,000 ZANU. Their largest weapon is an armour-piercing rocket.
The real problem for Muzorewa is that his government is. waging against an entire population, shown by the ievel of morale within the security forces.
Black conscription has proved a farce, with only a handful enlisting and widespread urban Socialist Challenge 9 August 1979 against the draft.
La licence to plunder.
The results. Most personnel. An that an May engineers, has accountants and draughtspeople.
really problems.
This party going down to defeat.
impact but did problems SeCtEvorees party members. consign- Although and Splits and Chikerema the rated departure last year.
as were planning opposition sarty is in exile.
protests. may deal The only black soldiers enthusiastically committed to less the present regime are the auxiliaries — and then only because it gives them lifting White morale is no better. Many of those who endorsed the 'internal settlement'in the white reterendum In March have not stayed around for the worrying the government is the flight of skilled estimated eleven hundred highly qualified people left between December and GOCEOR nurses, The remaining whites cannot have been cheered by Muzorewa's political Reverend Ndabaningi dilnoie, one orlne signalonies lo llc 'internal settlement', denounced the election as a fraud the moment he saw His sour grapes had little international create domestic which culminated in the killing of 183 pro-Sithole auxiliaries last month and the arrest of 100 of his Sithole and his supporters have now finally taken up their parliamentary seats, Muzorewa will be worried that thev mav iink uD with James Chikerema, who recently defected from Muzorewa to set up his own Zimbabwe Democratic Party.
expulsions his party are nothing new for Muzorewa.
most celebwas when • Justice Minister Byron Hove was expelled Purged with Hove •was Reverend Arthur Kanodereka. The launch an nen samoae ekd was assassinäted last December, Hove But however ruthlessly Muzorewa opposition, his increasing isolation makes it less and likely that he will unconditional Western backing. Even Thatcher must finally be aware that sanctions Colstol ZAPU leader Joshua Nkomo waiting in the wings miracles. The biggest drain on the gain economy remains the war, costs some $1.Sm a day as well as disrupting agriculture and transport. work Add to that the obtained for £2.50 subscription wackeis on ine Ist - L9 A ANbCO U.
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