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All 100 seats in the House of Assembly | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Composition of the House of Assembly after the election | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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General elections were held in Rhodesia in April 1979,[1][2][3] the first where the majority black population elected the majority of seats in parliament. The elections were held following the Internal Settlement negotiated by the Rhodesian Front government of Ian Smith and were intended to provide a peaceful transition to majority rule on terms not harmful to White Rhodesians. In accordance with the Internal Settlement, on 1 June, Rhodesia officially became the nation of Zimbabwe Rhodesia, under the government of the United African National Council elected in the 1979 elections. The Internal Settlement was not approved internationally but the incoming government under Bishop Abel Muzorewa did decide to participate in the Lancaster House talks which led to the end of the dispute and the creation of Zimbabwe.