THE EXCITEMENT IN GHANA was greater : the regime of
Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown while the President was on a peace mission to Hanoi, Peking and Moscow. Dr. Nkrumah was told the news by Mr. Chou En-lai and at first refused to believe it. He vowed that the people were behind him and flew on to Moscow, where he was met by Mr. Gromyko. Uncensored reports from Accra spoke of the general jubilation, various Russian aides were found shot in the Presidential Palace and scores more were escorted from the country. The coup caused a certain confusion at the meeting of the Organisation of African Unity in Addis Ababa, where notably Tanzania spoke strongly in favour of Dr. Nkrumah. Most countries, however, seemed in favour of recognising the new regime, though few wished to be the first to do so. Coupled with the assertion of one-man rule by Mr. Obote in Uganda, such events were felt to be not without influence on the situation in Rho:' desia. Here Mr. Smith's illegal government continued to be buttressed by a flow of oil from South Africa. The Conservative partf came out strongly for negotiations now.
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