Top Rhodesian officers ‘planned to oust Smith’

Press, 2 September 1980, Page 9

Top Rhodesian officers ‘planned to oust Smith’

NZPA-Reuter London ' \ . .. ■ Senior: Rhodesian Army officers tried; to mount, coup against lan Smith to ; midrl97B, the “Guardian”; newspaper; ihas-reported. . “An. attempt to mount s' Rhodesian" ' Army coup against -Mr Smith with' assistance-and military support of "Britain • was made duripg . tiie summer of 1975, it was authoritatively con-: fistod .yesterday. proposed to the Labour 'in clr-, cmnstances: eff the titmosl; confidentiality, would have involved .: . the Rhodesian Aiiny renouncing Mr Smith and tito 1965 Unilateral Deelaiatiph ?' of Independence; and declaring of; their Toyalty to the Crown: and their return to the British flag,** the "Guardian”; said.-.'. . 1 ] In exchange, Britain was to . send troops to Rhodesia to- hack" the - senior white 1 RHoderian Jcfficeis who . wEne ; prepared: to;’lead' the coup, i the paper-said. . T

said- that LieutenantGeuetSl Peter Walls.- the Armed forces canmander during the Smith; -regime’s ; fight’ against guerrilla nationalists, ;ind since the . country’s independence’ this • year • commander jof Zimforces ' .imtil his resignation^iniJuly» ; was believedtby the-BritishiGuvem-mentito -have jbeen the leading figtra/behind.-toeimove. | But toe resistance -of toe British; .Govehiment. under the 'Labour Rrime Minister, James - Callaghan, “rendered this ' last-ditch attempt by the Rhodesian Army- to prevent progress toward an independent ‘TSqhfwrhwe -still-: hora;”. toe7?Gaardian" teaifl. i ;.■ General' Walls a couple-jo'f weeks ago toat he had .'trie -d •; to ■■ persuade the I British :Prime ..Minister (Mrs

Maigaret. Thatcher) earlier tins , year toat toe , election -of Zimbabwe's Prime Minister (Mr. Robert Mugabe) .should be . declared void of j widespread intimidation By. Mr Mugabe’s -party -daring •theelection campaign. 1

■’ i II Shortly, afterwards the Zimbabwe Government announced that it was investigating General Walls’s connection with an alleged white coup d'etat plot. And Mr Mugabe said at toe week-: end that he -would do every-: thing possible to have General Walls . espelied from ZlfflQauWe.