African National Council
The African National Council (not to be confused with the African National Congress) was a political party led by Abel Muzorewa in the Rhodesia in the 1970s.
Formation
ANC was formed by ZANU and ZAPU together as a home based representative of black opinion to oppose settlement proposals agreed upon by the British government and the Rhodesian minority regime.
In 1971 the British government had set up a commission headed by Lord Pearce to gauge whether Smith’s claim that he enjoyed the support of the majority of black people was true.
ANC mobilised the Africans to vote 'No' and the vote was recognised by the commission.
Muzorewa had arisen as the natural if unelected spokesperson for blacks. The party was backed by both ZANU and ZAPU as representative of black people's interests during the detente period. [1]
ZAPU and ZANU however increasingly regarded the ANC not representative of their position as Bishop Abel Muzorewa engaged Ian Smith after the No vote, despite their demands that he cease the negotiations. Muzorewa continued talks with Smith through the second half of 1973 and the first quarter of 1974.[2]
References
