Africa-Press – Zambia. President Hakainde Hichilema has dropped Commanders of Zambia Army, Air Force, National Service, and Inspector General of Police and appointed new Service Chiefs in their place.
In a night announcement from his residency in new Kasama, President Hakainde thanked those that served and has called on citizens to respect them as they have served the country with diligence, and urged that they be not demonized.
President Hakainde Hichilema made various changes in the defence and security wings of the country. President Hichilema has appointed Zambia Army Deputy Commander Dennis Alibuzwi as Army Commander and consequently promoted him to the rank of Lieutenant General with immediate effect.
Lieutenant General Alibuzwi replaces Lieutenant General William Sikazwe who served as Zambia Army Commander for two years and eight months since his appointment in 2018.
The President has recalled Brigadier General Geoffrey Zyeele and appointed him as the new Deputy Army Commander and Chief of Staff, and has consequently elevated him to the rank of Major General.
At the Zambia Air Force (ZAF), Mr. Hichilema has retired Air Commander, Lieutenant General David Muma and replaced him with Brigadier General Collins Barry, who he has subsequently promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General. Further, Brigadier General Oscar Nyoni has been appointed as ZAF Deputy Commander, and has been promoted to the rank of Major General.
President Hichilema has also made changes at the Zambia National Service (ZNS) by relieving ZNS Commandant Lieutenant General Nathan Mulenga of his duties and replacing him with Brigadier General Patrick Solochi, who has since been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General.
Lieutenant General Patrick Solochi will be deputised by now Major General Reuben Mwewa who was before this appointment and subsequent promotion, at the rank of Brigadier General. Meanwhile, the President has recalled and appointed Remmy Kajoba as new Inspector General of Police, replacing Mr. Kakoma Kanganja.
Mr. Hichilema has appointed Mr. Milner Muyambango to the position of Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of operations and also appointed Mrs. Doris Chibombe as Deputy Inspector General in charge of administration.
President Hichilema has meanwhile relieved all Provincial Commissioners of Police of their duties with immediate effect, pending normalisation of the appointment process to the said portfolios. The President stated that there will be re-organisation in the appointment of Provincial Commissioners of Police.
He explained that the current system is that the Provincial Commissioners of Police and the Inspector General of Police (IG), together with the two deputies, are appointed and sworn-in by the President, a situation he said creates a problem in the command structure.
“To the new office bearers, we want to state that you must have the interest of the people at heart and serve the country diligently while ensuring that human rights, freedoms and liberties are respected,” President Hichilema said.
The President has meanwhile thanked all the officers that have been relieved of their duties whom he said will be re-assigned to other duties later. “We are grateful for their support when they served the country in these portfolios,” he said.
