Nothing wrong with Habwela being conscripted into ZNS – Kampyongo

By NATION REPORTER

STEPHEN Kampyongo has questioned the morality of President Hakainde Hichilema’s declaration than none of his children was going to seek a government job when he allowed his son, Habwela to be enlisted into the Zambia National Service (ZNS)
Mr Kampyongo, the Patriotic Front (PF) Shiwang’andu Member of Parliament has however defended Habwela for having chosen to join the ZNS, stating that President Hichilema’s son was a Zambian and a citizen with the full rights to seek employment in government.
Mr Kampyongo, a former Minister of Home Affairs under the Ptriotic Front said it was perfectly normal for Habwela to join the ZNS but raised moral issues over the matter as the head of State was on record that he would never allow his children to be employed by government.
Mr Kampyongo, who has frequently been vocal about the current government’s policies, said in an interview yesterday that the decision to enlist the President’s son was not an issue, emphasising that Second Lieutenant Habwela Hichilema, like any Zambian citizen, was entitled to serve his country.
“There is nothing wrong with the recruitment of the President’s son. He is a citizen, just like any other Zambian. There is no need to politicise this,” Mr Kampyongo said during a live interview.
He said that the real issue lay in addressing the “moral question” regarding the recruitment and the transparency around the process.
“The real issue here is the moral question,” Mr Kampyongo said. “What is crucial now is to ensure that we do not allow political rhetoric to cloud the professionalism of our security services. People should focus on the process, not just the individual involved.”
Mr Kampyongo also raised concerns about the broader state of the Zambia Defence Forces, questioning the government’s allocation of resources to the armed forces in light of the increasing number of recruits.
He stated that while the numbers of soldiers are rising, there were significant deficiencies in the equipment, accommodation, and overall welfare of the men and women in uniform.
“How are we equipping our defence forces? How are we ensuring they have proper accommodation and adequate rations?” Mr Kampyongo said, referencing a recent parliamentary report that highlighted a series of deficiencies within the country’s defence system.
“Reports from Parliament show that the status of our defence forces is not in good shape. Their accommodation, containment, and even basic provisions like troop carriers and rations are severely lacking,” Mr Kampyongo said.
He said the increase in the number of defence personnel should correspond with proper resource allocation.
“You can increase the numbers, but if you do not properly equip the forces and ensure their well-being, it becomes meaningless,” he said, During the PF tenure, we were working towards expanding housing units for the defence forces, but now, under this administration, these projects have stalled. The government must ensure that both the numbers and the resources align,” Mr Kampyongo said.
He also raised concerns about the morale and welfare of the forces, specifically mentioning the lack of proper allowances, settlement packages, and insufficient resources for the growing ranks of soldiers.
“The most critical issue is the resources we are allocating to the defence forces. Are we ensuring their morale is high and they are properly compensated? How are their basic needs being met?” Mr Kampyongo questioned.
His statements come amid increasing scrutiny of the government’s handling of national defense, with critics calling for better management and funding of the armed forces.