Although the United Federal Party won the most seats in the Legislative Council, and Northern Rhodesian African National Congress leader Harry Nkumbula had made a secret electoral pact with the UFP, Nkumbula decided to form a government with the United National Independence Party.
[2] However, this was fiercely opposed by Prime Minister of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Roy Welensky, as the lower roll was likely to be entirely black, giving his UFP little chance of winning seats.
Several people were automatically allowed to register as upper roll voters, including chiefs, hereditary councillors, members of native authorities and courts, municipal councils, township housing boards and area housing boards, ministers of religion, members of certain religions with at least two years of secondary education, pensioners, university graduates, holders of an award from the Queen, those with a letter of exemption under the African Exemption Ordinance dated prior to 1 July 1961, or be the wife of a qualified upper roll voter (in polygamous marriages, only the senior wife qualified).
Certain other people were automatically entitled to be a lower roll voter, including tribal councillors, members of native authorities and courts, municipal councils, township housing boards and area housing boards, headmen, pensioners, members of certain religious bodies, holders of an award from the Queen, or people registered as Individual, Peasant or Improved Farmers for two years prior to their application.
[10] On 26 October NRANC official Danwell Kuseka was killed when he was ambushed after an election meeting near Kitwe; three others were injured, one with a broken back.
With almost all candidates losing their deposits, the three Liberal Party ministers (John Moffat, Harry Franklin and Alfred Gondwe) resigned immediately after the elections.
[8] Kaunda subsequently released a statement stating "I believe that both Mr. Nkumbula and myself should forget the bitterness of the past and do what we can to establish majority rule in this country.