Fri, 16 Dec 2016 12:23:13 +0000
By KALOBWE BWALYA
THE ministry of defence has partnered with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to start local manufacturing of uniforms for defence personnel at Mulungushi Textiles in Kabwe, defence minister Davis Chama has announced.
Mr Chama said once the Mulungushi Textiles was revamped the ministry would start manufacturing uniforms locally and stop importing uniforms.
“It is quiet depressing that at 52 years of independence we are still importing uniforms and yet we can manufacture these locally, once we revamp Mulungushi Textiles in Kabwe,
“We don’t need to import uniforms and I know that we are committed to stop those imports and this why President Edgar Lungu decided to open Mulungushi Textiles to make sure that we start manufacturing uniforms locally,” said Mr Chama
The minister also said government was aware of the challenges the Marine soldiers were facing , hence it was committed to the construction of the new barrack for the unit.
He said that once the unit was established more personnel would be recruited and empowered in terms of equipment and training and extend services to other water bodies within Zambia.
The minister explained that the marine unit which had been established in Kawambwa, Luapula Province needed empowerment and more resources to ensure that it performed to the best of its ability.
He also recommended Zambia Air Force (ZAF) for being the beacon of peace that Zambia was enjoying and for the role it played in repatriation of people in the areas that were inaccessible especially during rainy season.
And Mr Chama explained that the Zambia National Service (ZNS) and the police had been playing a key role in Zambia by curbing smuggling of maize out the country.
“You know Zambia has produced a lot of maize and in other countries they do not have food and the country is surrounded by eight countries , hence it was a challenge but ZNS and Zambia Police were working tirelessly to ensure the food security was guaranteed”, Mr Chama said.
Meanwhile Mr Chama noted that it has been a historical challenge for the ministry to dismantle the arrears accrued to retired personnel within the period of four years.
He however said the ministry was working on the programme to ensure that the retirees were given their benefits on time so that they did not become destitutes.
