Government of Zimbabwe Rhodesia

The government of Zimbabwe Rhodesia took office on 1 June 1979, after an election held in april that year under the terms of the Internal Settlement negotiated between the government of Rhodesia and moderate African nationalists. It ruled the internationally unrecognized country until, under the terms of the Lancaster House Agreement, control was turned over to Lord Soames as the Governor of Southern Rhodesia on 12 December 1979.

The government attempted to include all parties represented in the House of Assembly following the general election, although the Zimbabwe African National Union of Rev Ndabaningi Sithole initially refused to take up their seats.

Executive Council

Party key		Rhodesian Front
		United African National Council
		United National Federal Party
		Zimbabwe African National Union – Ndonga

Portfolio	Minister		Term
Prime Minister		Abel Muzorewa	1 June 1979 – 12 December 1979
Minister of Combined Operations
Minister of Defence
Deputy Prime Minister		Silas Mundawarara	1 June 1979 – 12 December 1979
Minister of Information, Immigration and Tourism
Acting Minister of Health			1 June 1979 – 15 August 1979
Minister of Agriculture		William Irvine	1 June 1979 – 12 December 1979
Minister of Commerce and Industry		Ernest Bulle	1 June 1979 – 12 December 1979
Minister of Education		Edward Mazaiwana	1 June 1979 – 12 December 1979
Minister of Finance		David Smith	1 June 1979 – 12 December 1979
Minister of Foreign Affairs		David Mukome	1 June 1979 – 12 December 1979
Minister of Health		David Zamchiya	15 August 1979 – 12 December 1979
Minister of Home Affairs		Herbert Zimuto	1 June 1979 – 12 December 1979
Minister of Justice		Chris Andersen	1 June 1979 – 12 December 1979
Acting Minister of Roads and Road Traffic			1 June 1979 – 15 August 1979
Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Rural Development		George Nyandoro	1 June 1979 – 12 December 1979
Minister of Law and Order		Francis Zindoga	1 June 1979 – 12 December 1979
Minister of Public Service
Minister of Local Government and Housing		Walter Mthimkhulu	1 June 1979 – 12 December 1979
Minister of Manpower, Social Affairs, Youth and Rehabilitation		Senator Aaron Mutiti	1 June 1979 – 12 December 1979
Minister of Mines		Senator Chief Khayisa Ndiweni	1 June 1979 – 12 December 1979
Minister of Works
Minister of Posts		P. K. van der Byl	1 June 1979 – 12 December 1979
Minister of Transport and Power
Minister of Roads and Road Traffic		Leonard Nyemba	15 August 1979 – 12 December 1979
Minister of Water Development		Zephaniah Bafana	1 June 1979 – 12 December 1979
Minister without Portfolio		Ian Smith	1 June 1979 – 12 December 1979

Deputy Ministers

Office	Minister	Since	Party
Deputy Minister of Information, Immigration and Tourism	Ismail Adam	1 June 1979 – 30 September 1979	Independent
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs	Joshua Buwell Cohen	1 June 1979 – 30 September 1979	Independent
Deputy Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Rural Development	Rowan Cronjé	1 June 1979	RF
Deputy Minister of Agriculture	Dennis Nyamuswa (acting)	1 June 1979	UANC
	Ephraim Tsvaringe	15 August 1979	ZANU
Deputy Minister of Education	Peter Mandaza	1 June 1979	UNFP
Deputy Minister of Manpower, Social Affairs, Youth and Rehabilitation	David Murambiwa Mutasa	1 June 1979	UANC
Deputy Minister of Finance	Dennis Nyamuswa	1 June 1979	UANC
Deputy Minister of Mines	Denis Walker	1 June 1979	RF
Deputy Minister of Works

See also

• Cabinet of Rhodesia
• Politics of Zimbabwe