English: On April 18 1980 Zimbabwe Rhodesia gained independence as Zimbabwe. The government held independence celebrations in Rufaro stadium in Salisbury, the capital. Lord Christopher Soames, the last Governor of Southern Rhodesia, watched as Charles, Prince of Wales, gave a farewell salute and the Rhodesian Signal Corps played "God Save the Queen". Many foreign dignitaries also attended, including Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India, President Shehu Shagari of Nigeria, President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia, President Seretse Khama of Botswana, and Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser of Australia, representing the Commonwealth of Nations. Bob Marley sang 'Zimbabwe', a song he wrote, at the government's invitation in a concert at the country's independence festivities. In 1982 for the 2nd anniversary of independence the name of the capital was changed from Salisbury to Harare.

This image presented here is of the Zimbabwe Prime Minister in 1980, Robert Mugabe, admiring a Maori carving the New Zealand government gifted to the newly formed nation. The gift was presented by Hon. David Thomson. The image comes from a collection of photographs transferred to Archives New Zealand by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Reference: AAEG W2972 1 37 archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=9591980

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