Editing Selous Scouts (section)

===Disbandment===
Ahead of the multi-racial [[1980 Southern Rhodesian general election]] the Selous Scouts and SAS were involved in preparing plans to annul its results. One of these plans would have involved killing the leadership of the black nationalist parties in [[Operation Hectic]]. Another, designated [[Operation Quartz]] would have involved attacking the insurgents in the camps where they had been concentrated within Rhodesia ahead of the election. These operations were not attempted.{{sfn|Melson|2005|p=72}}

Following the transition to majority rule and Rhodesia's reconstitution as [[Zimbabwe]], Prime Minister [[Robert Mugabe]] decided in March 1980 to disband the Selous Scouts by April that year. Mugabe stated that the unit needed to be disbanded as part of reforms to provide Zimbabwe with a "respectable" army. At this time it was expected that many of its white members would leave the military.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ellman |first1=Paul |title=Selous Scouts to be disbanded by April |work=The Guardian |date=7 March 1980 |page=6|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Ellman |first1=Paul |title=Mugabe acts to quell violence |work=The Guardian |date=26 April 1980 |page=5|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Walls received a hostile reception from the unit's officers and men when he visited its base in March 1980. During this visit members of the Selous Scouts called him a traitor.<ref>{{cite news |last1=MacManus |first1=James |title=Army cuts threaten Rhodesian unity |work=The Guardian |date=22 March 1980 |page=1|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The Selous Scouts were disbanded without a formal ceremony to mark the occasion in April 1980. The unit had suffered between 30 and 35 fatalities during its existence.{{sfn|Melson|2005|p=74}}

Most of the white members of the Selous Scouts moved to South Africa to join that country's security forces. The 900 black members of the unit were offered other positions within Zimbabwe's security forces, and were mainly split across three battalions of the Rhodesian African Rifles.<ref name="Guardian Future of white-led army units doubtful">{{cite news |last1=MacManus |first1=James |title=Future of white-led army units doubtful |work=The Guardian |date=22 April 1980 |page=5|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title='Dirty tricks' men to stay |work=The Guardian |date=29 June 1980 |page=5|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Many of the black former Selous Scouts were murdered following the transition to majority rule.{{sfn|Moorcraft|McLaughlin|2010|p=181}}