Politics of Rhodesia
Political history — Overview 1890–1923 BSA Company rule 1923–1980 Southern Rhodesia 1953–1963 Rhodesia–Nyasaland Federation 1965–1979 Rhodesia underUDI  1979 Zimbabwe Rhodesia(under UDI)
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Legislature 1899–1923 Legislative Council 1924–1970 Legislative Assembly 1970–1979 Parliament Leader of the Opposition
Elections General 1924192819331934193919461948195419581962196519701974197719791980 Legislative Council 1899190219051908191119141920 Referendums 1922193419531961196419691979
Political parties African National Congress Communist Party Labour Party Liberal Party Rhodesia Party Rhodesian Action Party Rhodesian Front United African National Council United Federal Party Zimbabwe African National Union(ZANU) Zimbabwe African People's Union(ZAPU)
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TheUnited Federal Party (UFP) was a political party in theFederation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

The UFP was formed in November 1957 by a merger of theFederal Party, which had operated at the federal level, and the Southern RhodesianUnited Rhodesia Party.^[1][2] However, after conservative elements gained control of the party, the liberal faction led byGarfield Todd broke away to re-establish the United Rhodesia Party.^[3]

In the1958 general election in Southern Rhodesia the UFP won 17 of the 30 seats, despite receiving fewer votes than theDominion Party, whilst the URP failed to win a seat. In thefederal election in November 1958, the UFP won 46 of the 59 seats.

General elections in Northern Rhodesia in March 1959 saw the UFP win 13 of the 20 elected seats. In theAugust 1961 elections inNyasaland theMalawi Congress Party won 22 seats (including two upper roll seats) and the UFP five (all from the upper roll).

Thenext federal elections in March 1962 were boycotted by all other parties, allowing the UFP to win 54 of the 57 seats. However, that was the end of the UFP's success. In theNorthern Rhodesian general elections in September the UFP won the most seats, but theNorthern Rhodesian African National Congress, which held the balance of power, went back on a secret pact its leaderHarry Nkumbula had made with the UFP and allowed theUnited National Independence Party to form the government.General elections in Southern Rhodesia in December 1962 saw the UFP defeated by the newRhodesian Front; the UFP winning 29 seats to the Front's 35.

In April 1963 the party was split into four; the federal branch was rebranded as theFederal Party and continued to be led byRoy Welensky, whilst the territorial branches became theNational Progressive Party in Northern Rhodesia, theNyasaland Constitutional Party in Nyasaland and theRhodesia National Party in Southern Rhodesia, where it was led byEdgar Whitehead.^[4][5] The federation was dissolved at the end of 1963.

Election	Leader	Seats	+/–	Position	Status
1958	Roy Welensky	46 / 59	New	1st	Majority government
1962		54 / 57	8	1st	Majority government

Election	Leader	Seats	+/–	Position	Status
1959	Roy Welensky	13 / 22	New	1st	Majority government
1962		15 / 45	2	1st	Opposition

Election	Leader	Seats	+/–	Position	Status
1958	Edgar Whitehead	17 / 30	New	1st	Majority government
1962		29 / 65	12	2nd	Opposition

• Conservative parties in Zimbabwe
• Liberal parties in Zimbabwe
• Political parties in Rhodesia
• Political parties established in 1957
• Political parties disestablished in 1963
• Defunct political parties in Malawi
• Defunct political parties in Zambia
• Defunct political parties in Zimbabwe
• 1957 establishments in Northern Rhodesia
• 1957 establishments in Nyasaland
• 1957 establishments in Southern Rhodesia
• Political parties disestablished in 1958
• 1963 disestablishments in Northern Rhodesia
• 1963 disestablishments in Nyasaland
• 1963 disestablishments in Southern Rhodesia

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