A number of steps have been taken by the British Governor, Lord Soames, since his arrival in Rhodesia on 12 December, towards halting political executions, securing the release of political prisoners and detainees, and the ending of martial law. However, many severe restrictions on free political activity remained as FOCUS went to press.
The British Governor's position seems to contain an inherent contradiction. On the one hand, his task during the transitional period is to implement the agreements reached at the Lancaster House constitutional conference, in particular by ensuring that the elections due to be held on 14, 27, 28 and 29 February 1980 are fair and free. On the other, the Governor is expected to work through and with the regime's existing administration and public service. He and his staff have taken over the machinery of government intact. In his first address to the nation on 12 December, Lord Soames pointed out that "it will be no part of my job to take decisions or make changes, except insofar as these are necessary to enable me to carry out the immediate task". He was intending "to ensure the government services continue to operate effectively". The extent to which these government services, which have for years functioned in the interests of preserving white minority rule and the suppression of African opposition to the regime, now constitute a direct obstacle to free and fair elections, is clearly a matter of legitimate debate.
The first conclusive action taken by Lord Soames to facilitate election campaigning was on 21 December 1979 when, through a series of proclamations, he announced a general amnesty, lifted the bans on proscribed political parties (i.e. ZAPU and ZANU (Patriotic Front)), lifted the ban on the holding of public political meetings on Sundays and public holidays, and reduced the number of days' notice required for the holding of such meetings from seven days to two.
