Clifford Dupont

Who was Clifford Dupont?

Clifford Walter Dupont, GCLM, ID, was a British-born Rhodesian politician who served in the internationally unrecognised positions of Officer Administrating the Government and President. Born in London and qualifying as a solicitor, Dupont served during the Second World War as an officer of the British Royal Artillery in North Africa before first visiting Southern Rhodesia in 1947. He returned a year later, started a ranch and emigrated full-time during the early 1950s, by which time the country had become a territory of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

He entered politics in 1958, winning on the Dominion Party ticket in the Fort Victoria federal constituency. Four years later, he became the member for Charter in the Southern Rhodesian parliament, this time running for the Rhodesian Front. At the same time, he was appointed Minister for Justice. Forming a close relationship with the rising RF politician Ian Smith, Dupont assisted in the latter's becoming Prime Minister in 1964 and was consequently promoted to become Smith's deputy. As Deputy Prime Minister, he held the portfolio of External Affairs, and added Defence in June 1965.