Rhodesian wants troops unified

Nationalist leader Joshua Nkomo has demanded immediate steps to convert the various hostile armies in Rhodesia into one single force before next month's pre-independence election. The Patriotic Front alliance co-leader, pursuing the condiliatory line he has adopted since returning from exile three weeks ago, said the new state of Zimbabwe could not "go to independence with a multiplicity of forces." (Rhodesia will be called Zimbabwe after independence.)

He told a news conference he wanted to see moves toward "creating the nucleus of one army in the next few weeks." If the new government inherits the hostility existing between the Rhodesian forces and the two rival Patriotic Front Armies, he said, "they will be setting a monster on themselves."

He said the issue was already being discussed by all-party ceasefire commission, but a British spokesman declined to confirm this.

Mr. Nkomo said he has taken action to stop breaches of the 4 1/2- week-old cease-fire by guerrillas loyal to him, and he urged other parties to do the same.

According to figures released by the British authorities Tuesday, there have been 78 violations of the cease-fire.