BENEDICT TEMBO, Lusaka
NATHAN Mulenga has stepped down after an illustrious career spanning a record 45 years. Lieutenant-General Mulenga was at the helm of Zambia National Service (ZNS) for 10, of the 45 years, making him the second longest serving commandant after Wilford Funjika. During the official handover ceremony in Lusaka, last week, Gen Mulenga was hailed by his successor, Maliti Solochi, for prioritising the welfare of personnel in ZNS. From improving the welfare of ZNS personnel to upgrading roads, construction of modern markets, and refurbishing governnent hostels and housing units, Gen Mulenga’s legacy will remain etched in the rank and file of the military institution. ZNS personnel were elevated from obscurity to become the envy of their peers in the country’s defence forces. “It is your administration that improved on the existing in-house low interest loan facility to substantial amounts which have enabled many service personnel to embark on building family houses,” Lt-Gen Solochi said.
He said service personnel with entrepreneural mind-sets utilised the same loans to engage in thriving businesses, which have since improved their well-being. “Secondly, your passion to provide decent office accommodation for the service saw a number of administration blocks like the one at ZNS Luamfumu built, while headquarters offices were given a decent face-lift. This has greatly assisted in raising the profile of some of our structures,” Gen Solochi said. To enhance productivity in field crops, Gen Mulenga relentlessly supported the expansion of production units through CLICK TO READ MORE