Rhodesia
End of a Dream
by
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In 1960 Macmillan conducted his tour of Africa during which he made his famous “winds of change “ speech. At a press conference in Lagos he gave the impression that secession from the Federation was to be an option for both Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland although this statement was subsequently watered down. Meanwhile the members of the Royal Commission of Inquiry had begun to arrive in the Federation. Under the chairmanship of Lord Monckton it set out to produce its recommendations for the impending review of the Federal constitution. In February the Commission assembled at the Victoria Falls Hotel to gather evidence from the northern territories and then in April moved to Salisbury. Whilst evidence was being taken there discussions were still in progress for constitutional changes in Nyasaland and Northern Rhodesia. Delays to the publication of the Commission’ report meant that the Federal Review Conference might not be held until early 1961 whilst leaks about its possible proposals continued to cause major disquiet. On October 11th the Monckton Report was finally published. It proposed a number of modifications to the franchise and electoral systems, suggested a number of functions being transferred from the Federal to the Territorial Governments and made recommendations for strengthening the machinery of cooperation. It recommended that legislation be introduced against racial discrimination as well as a Bill of Rights written into the constitutions of all participating governments. Whilst Salisbury could remain the capital for the time being, future legislatures should meet in turn at each of the three territories. More controversially it said that the future Federal Review Conference should discuss the issue of secession and that the existence of a right to secession might prove to be a safety valve allowing the Federation to survive. Meanwhile, whilst the future of the Federation was under consideration ,.. events were rapidly changing the situation in the north where the departure of the Belgians had led to a collapse of law and order in the Congo. These events were to lead to a dramatic background against which the future of the whole of central Africa was to be determined.
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About the Book
Although the idea of a continuous British dominion from the Cape Colony to Cairo in Egypt was first formulated by William Gladstone and Sir Rutherford Alcock and summed up by Sir Edwin Arnold in the phrase “From Cape to Cairo,” it was Cecil Rhodes who finally embraced this dream as a viable project. This book outlines how close the dream came to reality as far as Central Africa was concerned and why, in the end, it was the impossible dream.
About the Author
The author was born in Yorkshire and educated at Keighley Grammar School and Manchester University, immigrating to Rhodesia in 1952 as a civil servant. He was involved in the federalization process from 1954 to 1955, joined the Federal Intelligence and Security Bureau in 1961, and served as Regional Liaison Officer in Ndola during the Katanga crisis, returning to England in 1962. Since then, he has maintained an active interest and contacts in the situation in Rhodesia and, later, Zimbabwe.