Conservative Alliance of Zimbabwe
Encyclopedia
The Conservative Alliance of Zimbabwe was the final incarnation of a party formerly called the Republican Front and prior to that the Rhodesian Front
. In the immediate post-independence period, the party sought to promote the position of whites in Zimbabwe
and did not initially seek support amongst other ethnic groups.
who insisted on keeping its identity as a white party concentrating on issues of importance to whites. The RF and later CAZ did not contest common roll seats in either 1980 or 1985. The inadequacy of this as a political strategy quickly became apparent. Most of the sitting RF MPs in the 1980 to 85 parliament either became independents or defected to ZANU.
Smith's response to this in the 1985 general election was to mount a campaign against the defectors and RF (now renamed CAZ) succeeded in winning 15 of the 20 white seats. The white seats in Parliament were abolished in 1987, although CAZ continued to enjoy limited representation at municipal level. By that time, white led civic groups such as the CZI (Confederation of Zimbabwe Industry) and CFU (Commercial Farmers Union) were openly supporting ZANU.
The adherents of the former Rhodesian Front now had no obvious political purpose. But, they were politically astute (having been the governing party for 20 years) and were well-resourced. Whites in Zimbabwe
controlled critical areas of the national economy. White farmers assumed the character of a "landed gentry" and were able to exercise much influence over the black workers on their estates. Whites were a coherent group who could act together to achieve a political purpose. In the new Zimbabwe, conservative white farmers suddenly found a great deal in common with white liberals and civil rights activists.
Whites in Zimbabwe
sought to preserve their position in the country by supporting democracy, civil rights, the rule of law and opposing to arbitrary transfer of property through land reforms
, quite a transformation from the position that most whites had taken in the period before independence. The whites became very active in Zimbabwean opposition politics.
The ending of reserved white seats in Parliament and the merger of ZANU and ZAPU in 1987 created a situation in which Zimbabwe began to move towards being a one-party state. The leading opponent of this was initially Edgar Tekere
who formed the Zimbabwe Unity Movement party (ZUM) to contest elections in 1990. However, ZUM made only limited progress. People had little confidence in Zimbabwe's political parties, were widely seen as opportunistic and faction ridden. Instead, opposition was channelled through civic groups such as the CCJP (Catholic Commission for Justice and Pace in Zmbabwe) and the ZCTU (Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions).
In July 1992, Ian Smith
chaired a meeting of opposition political groups with a view to forming a political front to oppose ZANU. This meeting was attended by representatives of Rhodesian-era parties including CAZ, UANC and ZANU-Ndonga. It was also attended by ZUM and ZCTU. The Forum for Democratic Reform and the Forum Party
(incorporating CAZ) emerged from this. The Forum Party
(led by former Chief Justice Enoch Dumbutshena
) made little initial impact, coming third place in the 1995 elections with 6% of the vote. Forum attracted support mainly from whites and urban middle class blacks, having a too narrow ideological base to appeal to a mass electorate. However, the concept of a broad-based, non-ethnic, opposition movement was born.
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...
. In the immediate post-independence period, the party sought to promote the position of whites in Zimbabwe
Whites in Zimbabwe
White Zimbabweans are people from the southern African country Zimbabwe who identify themselves as white...
and did not initially seek support amongst other ethnic groups.
White politics - post independence
White politics in Zimbabwe immediately after independence were mainly involved in contesting 20 reserved "white roll" seats in the Zimbabwe parliament, although some whites joined ZANU (PF). The RF party remained under the dominance of Ian SmithIan 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...
who insisted on keeping its identity as a white party concentrating on issues of importance to whites. The RF and later CAZ did not contest common roll seats in either 1980 or 1985. The inadequacy of this as a political strategy quickly became apparent. Most of the sitting RF MPs in the 1980 to 85 parliament either became independents or defected to ZANU.
Smith's response to this in the 1985 general election was to mount a campaign against the defectors and RF (now renamed CAZ) succeeded in winning 15 of the 20 white seats. The white seats in Parliament were abolished in 1987, although CAZ continued to enjoy limited representation at municipal level. By that time, white led civic groups such as the CZI (Confederation of Zimbabwe Industry) and CFU (Commercial Farmers Union) were openly supporting ZANU.
The adherents of the former Rhodesian Front now had no obvious political purpose. But, they were politically astute (having been the governing party for 20 years) and were well-resourced. Whites in Zimbabwe
Whites in Zimbabwe
White Zimbabweans are people from the southern African country Zimbabwe who identify themselves as white...
controlled critical areas of the national economy. White farmers assumed the character of a "landed gentry" and were able to exercise much influence over the black workers on their estates. Whites were a coherent group who could act together to achieve a political purpose. In the new Zimbabwe, conservative white farmers suddenly found a great deal in common with white liberals and civil rights activists.
Whites in Zimbabwe
Whites in Zimbabwe
White Zimbabweans are people from the southern African country Zimbabwe who identify themselves as white...
sought to preserve their position in the country by supporting democracy, civil rights, the rule of law and opposing to arbitrary transfer of property through land reforms
Land reform in Zimbabwe
Land reform in Zimbabwe officially began in 1979 with the signing of the Lancaster House Agreement, an effort to more equitably distribute land between the historically disenfranchised blacks and the minority-whites who ruled Zimbabwe from 1890 to 1979...
, quite a transformation from the position that most whites had taken in the period before independence. The whites became very active in Zimbabwean opposition politics.
The ending of reserved white seats in Parliament and the merger of ZANU and ZAPU in 1987 created a situation in which Zimbabwe began to move towards being a one-party state. The leading opponent of this was initially Edgar Tekere
Edgar Tekere
Edgar Zivanai Tekere was a Zimbabwean politician. He was a president of the Zimbabwe African National Union who organised the party during the Lancaster House talks and served in government before his popularity as a potential rival to Robert Mugabe caused their...
who formed the Zimbabwe Unity Movement party (ZUM) to contest elections in 1990. However, ZUM made only limited progress. People had little confidence in Zimbabwe's political parties, were widely seen as opportunistic and faction ridden. Instead, opposition was channelled through civic groups such as the CCJP (Catholic Commission for Justice and Pace in Zmbabwe) and the ZCTU (Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions).
In July 1992, 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...
chaired a meeting of opposition political groups with a view to forming a political front to oppose ZANU. This meeting was attended by representatives of Rhodesian-era parties including CAZ, UANC and ZANU-Ndonga. It was also attended by ZUM and ZCTU. The Forum for Democratic Reform and the Forum Party
Forum Party
The Forum Party of Zimbabwe was a conservative political party in Zimbabwe.The Forum party was formed in March 1993 and was led by a former Zimbabwean Chief Justice Enoch Dumbutshena...
(incorporating CAZ) emerged from this. The Forum Party
Forum Party
The Forum Party of Zimbabwe was a conservative political party in Zimbabwe.The Forum party was formed in March 1993 and was led by a former Zimbabwean Chief Justice Enoch Dumbutshena...
(led by former Chief Justice Enoch Dumbutshena
Enoch Dumbutshena
Enoch Dumbutshena was a distinguished Zimbabwean judge known for defending the independence of that country's judicial branch. He became Zimbabwe's first black judge in 1980 and served as Chief Justice from 1984 to 1990. Dumbutshena's decisions were often highly critical of President Robert Mugabe...
) made little initial impact, coming third place in the 1995 elections with 6% of the vote. Forum attracted support mainly from whites and urban middle class blacks, having a too narrow ideological base to appeal to a mass electorate. However, the concept of a broad-based, non-ethnic, opposition movement was born.