1965 - White–only rule
January 23, 2013![Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Ian Smith](https://static.dw.com/image/16972256_800.webp)
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Prime Minister Ian Smith of the Rhodesian Front (RF) declared independence of Rhodesia and subsequently withdrew the country from the British Commonwealth.
His governance heralded 15 years of white-only rule in Rhodesia. He also ordered the arrests of Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo. They would both spend 10 years in jail.