Dear Editor,
THE Patriotic Front (PF) has identified the National Defence Force as a stakeholder to supplement the efforts of the central government in the national development process.
This is in addition to the conventional function of the national defence force to defend the territorial integrity of Zambia and in some instances participating in the peace keeping missions.
Peace has been identified as the pre-requisite for national building and the government will invest in a versatile national defence force that is capable of preserving national peace to have sustainable national development.
Bearing in mind of the sophisticated nature of security related threats, the government has shown political will to ensure that the frontline workers at the battlefront are equipped with the necessary skills of the modern policing model that will have the necessary ability to suppress the insecurities.
To achieve this, Government will have the continued investment in the training and equipping of the security personnel with both skills and necessary infrastructure to defend the territorial integrity of Zambia.
This will ensure the specialised training for men and women in uniform to deal with sophisticated anti-social behaviour among them gender-based violence, money laundering, digital crimes, terrorism and economic sabotage among other
The officiating of the Smart City project has also enhanced the capacity of the security wings in fighting crime coupled with the enacting of necessary legal framework to facilitate for the gathering of evidence by law enforcement agencies and the admissibility of evidence in the courts of law.
In security infrastructure, priority has been given to both construction of new ones and rehabilitation of the existing ones. The notable ones, is the construction of the countrywide and completion of Mwembeshi Correctional park.
In data management system, the substantial investment has been made in computerisation of systems and procedures in the defence system and this has enhanced the technical and human performance.
The government has also integrated the security operation through joint operations and this has brought about harmonisation of security operations.
Notably among them is the upgrading of the Immigration Department and its facilities which has been made to work in harmony with other security wings.
MARVIN CHANDA MBERI,Lusaka.
