Friday, April 19, 2024

President Edgar Lungu promises to expand the army presence throughout Zambia

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President Edgar Lungu Commander in Chief at parade in Arakan Baracks
President Edgar Lungu Commander in Chief at parade in Arakan Baracks

President Edgar Lungu has promised to expand the army to desired levels of operational capacity through regular recruitment to enable the defence forces have a formidable presence throughout the country.

President Lungu said that it was for this reason that he authorized the construction of barracks in Choma, Solwezi, and Muchinga province.

He added that that his government will continue with the rehabilitation of existing roads and other infrastructure within military cantonments across the country.

Speaking when he commissioned the trooping and consecration of colors parade for the first and second infantry battalions, and the third mechanized infantry battalion, president Lungu commended military personnel for their contribution to the maintenance of peace and security in the country.

the President said that men in uniforms played an important role in the preservation of the territorial integrity during the 2016 general election as well as the African union and United Nations peace keeping operations.

And the Zambia army commander lieutenant general Paul Mihova said that the colors linked the past, present and future members of the battalions and served as a source of honor, unity, strength and a symbol of authority.

Lt General Mihova said that the battalions are a great pride not just for the Zambia army, but the nation at large.

Lt General Mihova said that the old colors of the battalion had over the years played important roles in the exploits of the units, and shared some of the battle honors achieved.

Meanwhile President Lungu has encouraged all defence and security wings to emulate what the Zambia Army has done by having decent places of worship for its officers within their confines.

And National Guidance and Religious Minister Reverend Minister Godfridah Sumaili has hailed the Zambia Army for constructing a chapel in Arakan Barracks.

President Edgar Lungu Commander in Chief at parade in Arakan Baracks
President Edgar Lungu Commander in Chief at parade in Arakan Baracks

48 COMMENTS

  1. Great Move, well done Bwana President for stating your intentions of expanding the presence of our military across the country.

    The security of our country is priceless because a safe country inspires public confidence as well as prosperity to all.

    • What a clueless president this man is! what we need is mechanisation of our agriculture, value addition and manufacturing presence all around the country…not the army

    • Again misplaced priorities what is needed is a well trained well equipped Morden army not necessarily a large weak army with antique equipment.
      Another way of stealing money through tenders!

    • So expanding army just to keep teritorial integrity from congolese refugees!!!. They are the only ones viplating it. In 2017, only Africans think having a huge army makes sense. Switzerland, where all our opper apparently goes has zero and still manage to keep territorial integriry, build roads and farm. Why employ soldiers to build roads?? Employ farmers. Bwtter give the farmers and they will grow a bumper harvest like this year.
      After all this is the army that was disarmed by rebels, this is the army that does not come out of baracks for peacekeeping when they hear gunfire. Now you want increase them. We know. Those million jobs are proviving to hardwr than expected. Vision needed indeed

    • ‘President Lungu commended military personnel for their contribution to the maintenance of peace and security in the country.’

      Have we had any war?

      It is wrong for an army to fight its own citizens. In fact, there should be a law against this. No deployment of troops against Zambian citizens. The maintenance of internal peace should be the job of the police, that is why they have a Paramilitary wing.

  2. This is great news. We must give credit where it is due. Mr. President, please do the same for ZAF, and ZNS. You are creating capacity for employment generation. The next thing is to procure equipment so we can build our own roads using the service men. This is a plus for PF.

  3. Dictator at work!! you want to be a war lord? VODKA your time is now for you to leave. You stole votes now you want to expand the army so that when you loose you go to the bush like Mushala?

  4. Look at this lazy bum in uniform…his minister is flying to and fro with a begging bowl pleading for bail out, the tin is merely interested in increasing expenditure!!

  5. We know he is commander in chief because of the constitution, but does he need to wear military uniform? Typical of third world leaders. You will still be recognised without the ill fitting uniform.

    • He had a chance to wear uniform years ago but he ran away due to drunkenness and laziness. This is one thing why I liked FTJ he would never touch it .

  6. Start with Clement Sinyinda and the Barotse rats. they need to be clamped down. Clement recently issued treasonous sentiments. we cannot tolerate foreign sponsored separatists

  7. Good job Mr. President! Go get ‘em! They will do everything in their power to try and destroy the good name of Zambia and the peace-loving the majority of Zambians have just to get to State House! They are losers and will always be losers!

  8. Gluteus Maximus smells with that stuff if you don’t clean yourself that good! You go with that stuff to your in-laws because you don’t want to be corrected or learn from others.

  9. This is the very good news for mother Zambia as many jobs will be created for the youths.please do the same to ZAF and ZNS and allow men in uniform to venture into serious agriculture and construction across Zambia.
    THIS IS A PLUS FOR PF.NEVER MIND HATERS IN UPND BECAUSE SUCH GOOD NEWS REDUCES HH’S CHANCES OF DEFEATING PF IN 2021 AND BEYOND!!CONTINUE WORKING HARD SIR!!
    Come 2021 ni PF nafuti nafuti!!

    • “many jobs will be created for the youths”…..

      But where will the money to PAY THEM come from? More KALOBA? And who will have to pay that back?

  10. Sad, the nation needs more technical institutions of higher learning and massive investment in agriculture, that will create development

  11. It’s about time we fully use the resource that is Zambia Army. It’ll keep them active and help them map every inch of Zambia. Certainly our Police Service need backup and the people need to feel safe as they go about their lives.

  12. Where will the money to pay their salaries come from? They will turn against you when hunger strikes. Rather keep a realistic number that is sustainable.
    Those looking at this as your meal ticket go create your own jobs and become employers. Your shoes will finish for always looking for jobs.

  13. We should be expanding our companies,our industries and skill sets to grow the Zambian pie .The larger army of Lungu is just a tax consuming waste.

  14. Good job well done mr President ,keep it up .With due respect can you comaned the may of Lusaka to clean up the town please

  15. Be afraid be very afraid people ! This is the ongoing grip of dictatorship in our beautiful country ! People will be forced to bow before him or face charges! Rural schools are without proper learning materials, no electricity, 800 pupils to 3 classrooms but we want to build more barracks and increase our military ! I wonder who will be building these barracks – I shouldnt wonder as once again his partners the chinese will be given the tender.

    • Please tell me – who will this bigger army be fighting????? What is the THREAT we are facing that we need to increase the size of the army? Our neighbours ? THEY ARE OUR FRIENDS !!!!!!

      Millions will be wasted for no sane reason at all except reinforcing a DICTATORSHIP! This is what VISIONLESS MEANS.

      Zambians will now have to pay taxes to buy bullets that will be used to shoot themselves !!!!

  16. This is very good, only those hell bent to bring chaos to our great nation would be against this move. America is great not because of the economy but because they belt a strong military to protect themselves and then their economy can flourish. If there is chaos like we see people wishing to derail our peace then you cannnot build a great nation. When we have a strong army and security forces, all the hyenas will run away and then we can develop our country in peace and tranquility. A good example is what is going on now. You build a state of the art market a hyena comes and spits fire on it and all goes into flames. A hyena goes out of our borders convinces his likes to intervene militarily after causing chaos in our land. If you have no strong army that is the end of your sovereinty.

  17. Good move so that all corners of zambia are sealed,then u have no exit point when u re chucked out in 2021.your destination after elections is well known within zambia,just prepare my presdo.

  18. President Edgar Lungu promises to expand the army presence throughout Zambia.

    Then ,if the army expands, what are you going to achieve, you id-io-t?

  19. In my opinion, it’s like PF burning markets and trying to prove the relevance of corruptly by fire tenders. MMD is at it again. Stealing in the name of PF, corruption scandles, provoking civil servants by paying them late and sidelining honest people. ECL should not forget that Rupiah Bwezani lost it all in 2011 elections because of the above mentioned reasons. I foresee a very painful loss of election and no doubt about it in 2021 presidential elections. Be ready to concede defeat ba ECL, you are a let down!
    Zambia will be in wrong hands(UPND) because of MMD presence in PF, undoing what SATA worked to achieve for the wellbeing of Zambians.

  20. It’s a good move to expand the army, those without security conciousness should wait until North Korea, Russia and China gang up against the US and it’s allies. A third world war is in sight, read and listen.
    I would prefer the barrack to be built in Solwezi be shifted to near Mufumbwe as it will be central. Solwezi can easily be manned by the Ndola Guys.

  21. Yaba koma this President.
    Mr President you use the ARMY to protect your people from external enemies and to respond to national catastrophes.
    So you post them in central appropriate response locations without threatening neighbors.
    NOT TO FIGHT YOUR OWN PEOPLE.
    They are not Police or Emergency services to drive your wheelbarrows.
    WTF!
    You are COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF and think like one.

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