Rhodesia: Mugabe said to win

Marxist-leaning guerrilla leader Robert Mugabe has won an absolute majority in Rhodesia's independence elections, authoritative sources said here March 3. Official results were still awaited at the time of writing.

Meanwhile, Sir John Boynton, the British election commissioner here, has submitted a controversial report to the British governor, Lord Soames, which finds that "the overall result of the elections will broadly reflect the wishes of the people of Rhodesia." But the report also asserts that intimidation of voters would affect the outcome in areas where about one-quarter of a million voters reside. This represents some 9 percent of the electorate.

Sir John's report, released Monday, on the eve of announcement of election results, is expected not only to encourage disgruntled parties to contest the outcome but also add to the controversy over the evenhandedness of the British administration here, Monitor correspondent Gary Thatcher reports.

The 20-page document mentions Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front party three times in connection with questionable election practices, but makes no mention of Bishop Abel T. Muzorewa's United African National Council or the "auxiliary" soldiers loyal to him. The auxiliaries have also been widely critized for intimidating voters.