Rhodesia and Nyasaland: Political Parties Material

Platforms, statements, letters, newsletters, constitutions, speeches, addresses and broadcasts, 1957-1962 issued by the Central Africa Party, the Constitution Party (Rhodesia and Nyasaland) and the United Federal Party. Only material produced by a federal party during the existence of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland has been included in this collection.

Between 1953 and 1963 Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland formed a nominally self-governing Federation, which was eventually terminated prior to the independence of the latter two territories as Zambia and Malawi. Given the restrictions on African electoral participation the government of the Federation was effectively dominated by white parties, with the United Federal Party under first Godfrey Huggins and later Roy Welensky in power throughout this period.

Alphabetically according to party and then in rough chronological order.

Open to all for research purposes; access is free for anyone in higher education.

Institute of Commonwealth Studies

Records at item level on library catalogue (SASCAT)

Description compiled by Daniel Millum, Political Archives Project Officer at the Institutes of Commonwealth and Latin American Studies.

Copies can usually be obtained - apply to library staff.

The Commonwealth Political Parties Materials collection was begun in 1960-61, with special emphasis being placed then, as now, on 'primary material such as party constitutions, policy statements, convention reports and election manifestos.' (ICS, Twelfth Annual Report 1960-1961). Since then, the main method of gathering material has been to appeal directly to political parties throughout the Commonwealth, though contributions from Institute members and staff following visits to relevant countries have been significant.

No further accruals are expected at present.

See also Malawi: Political Parties and Trades Unions Material (PP.MW), Zambia: Political Political Parties, Trades Unions and Pressure Groups Materials (PP.ZA), Zimbabwe: Political Parties Material (PP.ZW), Zimbabwe: Trades Unions Material (TU.ZW) and Zimbabwe: Pressure Groups Material (PG.ZW) as well as Political Party, Trades Unions and Pressure Group Materials for other Commonwealth countries and related material in the library's main classified sequence, all held at the ICS.