Sithole remains abroad

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33819, 16 April 1975, Page 21

Sithole remains abroad

( By

DAR-ES-SALAAM. i April 15. j The Rhodesian nationalist leader, the Rev.; Ndabaningi Sithole, has; chosen to remain abroad until the Salisbury Government gives him a clear indication whether or not he will be returned to detention. Mr Sithole stayed in Dar-i es-Salaam yesterday when his colleagues in Rhodesia’s: African National Council i (A.N.C.) left for home after! attending last week’s Organ-'

MICHAEL FATHERS.

an N .Z.P.A.-Reuter correspondent.)

jisation of African Unity! j meeting in the Tanzanian ■ | capital. The Rhodesian Prime Min-! lister (Mr lan Smith) had; J freed him from detention 11 'days ago under pressure: from the South African Gov-| iernment and several African! ■presidents, notably Mr Kenmeth Kaunda of Zambia, toi attend the O.A.U. meeting. ! No official explanation was! given for Mr Sithole’s deci-! ision to stay abroad, but' sources close to the A.N.C. said that he decided after: consultation with his col-1 leagues and President Julius! 'Nyerere of Tanzania that it| I would be in the council’s: 'best interests, at least in the;

i short term, for him not to 1 return. . Mr Sithole told N.Z.P.A.- ' ! Reuter by telephone from his : Dar-es-Salaam hotel room 1 that he had so far received I :no indication from the Rhodi esian Government on his fate. ! ! He said that the A.N.C. chair- ] man. Bishop Abel Muzorewa, i was expected to make ah statement when he arrived in ! the Rhodesian capital tomor- ' I row. According to the sources,Bishop Muzorewa expected to!: i receive word in Lusaka today r ;or last night through inter- , ‘mediaries in contact with the; i South African Government; ': on whether Mr Smith planned I :,to gaol Mr Sithole again or

leave him at liberty. Mr Sithole said that he would remain in the Tan-! zanian capital for seven days! but gave no indication of his; future movements. His self-imposed exile is! likely to be temporary, and; Bishop Muzorewa in a brief! interview before boarding a; ! commercial airliner for; Lusaka yesterday declared: “He (Sithole) will be back.”: The A.N.C. refused negoti-: jations with Mr Smith on i settling the nine-year-old ! independence dispute and i establishing African majority rule as long’ as Mr Sithole 'was in prison. It is also exipected to retain its pfesent boycott while he is in exile.