The Minister of Internal Affairs was the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, or INTAF, a department of the Rhodesian government concerned with the welfare and development of Rhodesia's rural black population. During the Rhodesian Bush War, the ministry also played a significant military role. The Minister of Internal Affairs was appointed by the Prime Minister of Rhodesia.
The office was first created in 1923 as the Colonial Secretary of Southern Rhodesia. In 1933, it was reconstituted as the Minister of Internal Affairs. In 1979, with the end of Rhodesia and the independence of Zimbabwe, the position was abolished. Its successor office is the Zimbabwean Minister of Home Affairs.
List of ministers Colonial secretary Name Took office Left office Political party Prime Minister Title 1 Sir Francis James Newton 1 October 1923 1 September 1924Rhodesia PartySir Charles CoghlanColonial Secretary 2John Wallace Downie 2 February 1925 2 September 1927 2 September 1927 19 May 1932Howard Moffat 3 William Muter Leggate 19 May 1932 5 July 1933
Internal affairs Name Took office Left office Political party Prime Minister Title 1 William Muter Leggate 5 July 1933 12 September 1933 Rhodesia Party George MitchellMinister of Internal Affairs 2 Stephen O'Keeffe 12 September 1933 14 November 1934 Reform PartySir Godfrey Huggins 3 Vernon Arthur Lewis 14 November 1934 13 November 1935United Rhodesia Party 4 Sir Percival Fynn 13 November 1935 3 October 1939 5 Harry Davies 3 October 1939 2 February 1944 Rhodesia Labour Party 6 Sir Ernest Lucas Guest 2 February 1944 10 May 1946United Rhodesia Party 7 Hugh Beadle 10 May 1946 20 July 1950 8Julius Greenfield 20 July 1950 7 September 1953 Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs 9 7 September 1953 5 February 1954United Federal PartyGarfield Todd Minister of Internal Affairs 10 Garfield Todd 5 February 1954 26 November 1954 Minister of Internal Affairs and Justice 11 Rubidge Stumbles 26 November 1954 17 January 1958Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs 12 Alan David Hutchinson Lloyd 17 January 1958 17 February 1958 13 Reginald Knight 17 February 1958 24 September 1962Edgar Whitehead 14 Rubidge Stumbles 24 September 1962 16 November 1962 15 Blair Vincent Ewing 16 November 1962 17 December 1962 Minister of Internal Affairs 16 Jack Howman 17 December 1962 14 April 1964 Rhodesian Front Winston Field 17William Harper 14 April 1964 4 July 1968Ian Smith 18 Lance Smith 16 August 1968 1974 19 Jack Mussett 1974 1977 20 Rollo Hayman 1977 8 January 1979 −Byron Hove 27 December 1978 18 April 1978United African National Council −Kayisa Ndiweni 18 April 1978 1 June 1979 Zimbabwe United People's Organisation 21 Denis Walker 8 January 1979 1 June 1979 Rhodesian Front
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