Zambia Air Force Commander Lt General Eric Chimense says anything that claims lives is a threat to National Security and needs to be combated.
And Lt General Chimense has pledged continued military presence in Lusaka until the Cholera epidemic is contained.
He said Cholera has become a security threat because of the number of lives that have so far been lost.
Lt. Gen Chimense said according to the National Constitutionand the Defence code, the military is tasked to respond to any threat of National security threat saying the presence of the military in the city of Lusaka is justified.
“If you remember at one time we responded swiftly to a threat on food security when some unscrupulous people were smuggling maize out of Zambia, that is our role and a threat to national security may be economic, political , or an epidemic such as Cholera.”, Lt General Chimense said.
The Army commander also said that the military will not abandon the cleaning programme in town until the local authority and the general public find a way of sustaining the exercise.
He called on the general public to own the clean up campaign and ensure that they avoid indiscriminate disposal of garbage.
Lt Gen Chimense has since commended the troops for the good work they have done in collecting garbage and unblocking drainages.
He was speaking In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he is attending a Specialised Technical Committee meeting on Defence, Safety and Security.
And Lt Gen Chimense said Zambia remains committed in its role of fostering regional and continental peace.
He said the STC will mainly look at modalities of funding and sustaining an African Stand by force.
Lt General Chisense said Zambia supports initiatives by the African Union that states that Africa should find a way of resolving its own problems.
He says Zambia which has a record of being peaceful and will ensure that it supports these programmes through pledges from both the Zambia Army and the Air force.
And Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Ms. Susan Sikaneta commended the defence forces for the drive against Cholera in Lusaka.
“Defence forces defend the people not only against aggression, conflict situation and war but go beyond by defending the people against diseases, poverty as well as enhancing the quality of life of the people by promoting industries and construction of infrastructure such as cities within cities that the defence forces has embarked on in Zambia,” Ms Sikaneta said.
Ms Sikaneta who is also Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the African Union also commended the Commander in Chief, His Excellency President Edgar LUNGU for directing the defence forces to help clean up the city.
She said every peace loving Zambian should rally behind President Lungu, the Defence forces and the local authorities in maintain cleanliness and hygiene in Zambia.
“As a Christian Nation, we should all know from the teaching of the word that cleanliness is next to godliness”.
Before the Clean UP
After the Clean UP
Piles of Destroyed Stands
Pictures Courtesy of Jean Mandela
The humble Zambia Armed Forces
I totally agree. Even corruption is a threat to national security. People die due to lack of drugs/medicines in hospitals. Need to fight corruption as well
Sata found a good young Commander, our friend from Luapula.
Problem is when you so hardworking like Eric or Kalaba then you are a threat to PF leadership.
We have to be careful:
– HIV is a threat to lives.
– Elephants is a threat to lives
– shooting at friends, like Kavindele Jr, over a woman, is a threat to lives.
– tear gasing oppositions and smear them in treason, is serious threat to those Zambians.
– Mukula is debatable
– $1million on a water-tank truck, is a threat to lives. Even why no one has died over that scandal.
So boy Eric live it Amos Chanda to say things. You Eric just do your work.
Well said General shall we also tell that stubborn boy call ‘tute’ Ngulube that reckless bus owners are a threat to national security mazhaandu has been killing people on the road?
From this year onwards this clean scenario must be a permanent feature in our markets and shanties. Let’s take a leaf from the way Nyumba yanga market looks like. It’s an emergency indeed! Even the military bigwigs have joined forces. If we had strongly continued the ‘keep Zambia clean’ campaign thoroughly cleaning all densely populated areas on a regular basis, cholera would not be with us. Why can’t government contract solid waste management companies to be doing regular clean ups in sensitive areas?
Your Zimbabwean colleagues went further than that and claimed back their country from the criminals
Yaa Zimbabweans are styuppid idyoots. Respect Mugabe, he been criminal.
And they insulted Africa with a useless- toothless Munangaaathing.
President Lungu thought well and wisely by bringing in the Army to clean up Lusaka to address the cholera crisis, otherwise, the known political opportunists could have incited the vendors to resist. Let this be the beginning of an overall urban clean up for all towns because all councils whether held by ruling party or opposition have all failed Zambians. President Lungu should not reverse on the cleaning up exercise for all towns across our country, with the help of the Army. That is what Mwanawasa did for Lusaka, for those with short memories.
The man has leadership credentials. My only concern with this cleanup exercise is that they seem to have just created space for more filth. Please look for a long term solution which includes demolishing and bringing this area to the 21st century. With Morden drains and shops.
…..and let’s not forget, people that are as corrupt as Chimese are a threat to the so-called national security
That’s not what you call a drainage. Uncovered and so wide. They are ditches that just attract all that garbage. I thought drainage is supposed to be narrow, covered along most of the way with intermittent access open ways but perhaps covered with mesh, for cleaning. There should be separate points or appropriate containers for garbage disposal and consistent collection. All markets should have adequate toilets with running water and have people cleaning them everyday. There should be other points along roads and facilities for small litter bins. People should consistently be compelled to do things properly, clean all places around them that they are responsible for and be punished through bye-laws for breaching any of these. Finally, where what should be (structures, roads, pipes etc.)…
Yes you have outlined what is important.. But those people should have done the clean so early before rain season.
… should be planned and implemented.
Amazing that even after clean up there’s almost no greenery in sight.We need trees and well kept bushes alongside the market and road to cleanup our air too.
Unfortunately for you the vibrio cholera bug is not like the opposition which you can force into submision. It’s all about hygiene and changing a people’s culture. Good luck with that using you guns!
Unfortunately for you the vibrio cholera bug is not like the opposition which you can force into submision. It’s all about hygiene and changing a people’s culture. Good luck with that using you guns! There are no shortcuts here, which is what you are trying to do. Very unsustainable if you ask me
ITS A TEST OH HOW OUR MILITARY IS ABLE TO RESPOND TO WEAPONS OF MASS DISRUCTION THAT INCLUDES BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS INFACT SUCH MASSIVE DISEASES CAN KILL MORE THAN PHYSICAL WEAPONS AND IF A THREATH IS SEEN IS BETTER THE NATINAL SECURITY IS HIGHTEND
ITS NOT ONLY GUNS AND AIR POWER FOR THE MILTARY BUT SUCH SOFT CAPABILITIES AND PREPAREDNESS TO FIGHT OTHER FORMS OF ATTACKS
SO FAR THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN GOOD BUT WE NEED MORE TRAINING FOR SUCH TYPES OF ATTACKS
As long as there are no laws in place for cleanliness in the country it gonna happen again
Mr. President lungu you are the first president since Mwanawasa’s days to have cleaned Lusaka to this level. I personally give you a pat on the back and not forgetting our hard working army personnel. This cholera outbreak is a blessing in disguise since it has offered us a timely opportunity to clean our environment except the bad part of it is that it has claimed some lives. If the situation was left unchecked and the president had not intervened the tribal party would have been celebrating. Let this presidential initiative and efforts be supported and sustained by all well meaning and patriotic Zambians. I know our colleagues in the tribal party would have loved to see more lives being lost to cholera, they are heartless and very selfish, all they want is to go to the state house
Glaring failure of local government. If cholera had not broken out the dirt would still be accumulating and it is not only Lusaka. Political expediency and sheer incompetence has brought us this far. The defence forces are doing a good job but who will sustain this?
Mr President We Congratulate U 4 The Movement To Clean Up Lusaka To Fight The Disease Together With The Army Personels Keep It Up
What happened to the so called disaster response unit setup during the Ebola scare? Was it another money laundering scheme?
They have gone to Switzerland to do a comparative study on how to tackle Cholera
Since when did cholera become a threat to national security ? This is a health and safety threat and it is internally generated due to mismanagement of resources. Just bring back the money you have stolen and reinvest back into the health and safety infrastructure.
Kalaba has already told us the threat to national security is corruption
we need permanent solutions and my message goes direct to all leaders rebuild all the drainage system in Lusaka you have money you can do better if you think better toilets create the sewerage system for the all city i repeat toilets create running toilets for the Lusaka cholera will go do it now Government +++failure is the beginning of wisdom
Thank you army men but that Lungu fellow is to blame. This just shows he is supervising an inefficient government. That’s why we are now relying on our boys and girls in the army. We should have normally relied on his Minister of Health, Minister of Local government Minister of works or National Development and Planning to function and cholera wouldn’t be here.
Covering those drainages is one step towards prevention.
This is the quality of commanders we want. Lt Gen Eric Chimese , young, exposed, well educated up to masters level unlike some who we have heard only have standard 6 certificates !
Eric must explain why ZAF has been spending millions of Kwacha via a PPP to build mansions for its members without approval of parliament, and outside its mandate as part of national defence.
Iwe chimbwi just deal with Cholera. Bushe ni PPP ya Nyoko ?
Have the commanders of the Army and Airforce swapped jobs?