LUSAKA, Zambia – Zambia’s new President Hakainde Hichilema has replaced the country’s top military commanders and the head of the police – and signalled a focus on the security forces being more accountable to the citizens.

The president late on Sunday announced new commanders of the Zambian army, the air force and the national service and their deputies, as well as a new inspector general of police.

All regional police commissioners have been relieved of their duties but their replacements have not been named.

Hichilema named Army Deputy Commander Dennis Alibuzwi as the new Army Commander and consequently promoted him to the rank of Lieutenant General with immediate effect.

Lieutenant General Alibuzwi replaces Lieutenant General William Sikazwe who served as army commander for two years and eight months since his appointment in 2018.

Brigadier General Geoffrey Zyeele was appointed as the new Deputy Army Commander and Chief of Staff, and assumes the rank of Major General.

At the Zambia Air Force (ZAF), Hichilema has retired Air Commander, Lieutenant General David Muma and replaced him with Brigadier General Collins Barry, who he has subsequently promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General.

Further, Brigadier General Oscar Nyoni has been appointed as ZAF Deputy Commander, and has been promoted to the rank of Major General.

President Hichilema has also made changes at the Zambia National Service (ZNS) by relieving ZNS Commandant Lieutenant General Nathan Mulenga of his duties and replacing him with Brigadier General Patrick Solochi, who has since been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General.

Lieutenant General Patrick Solochi will be deputised by now Major General Reuben Mwewa who was before this appointment and subsequent promotion, at the rank of Brigadier General.

Meanwhile, the President has recalled and appointed Remmy Kajoba as new Inspector General of Police, replacing Kakoma Kanganja.

Hichilema has appointed Milner Muyambango to the position of Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of operations and also appointed Doris Chibombe as Deputy Inspector General in charge of administration.

President Hichilema has meanwhile relieved all Provincial Commissioners of Police of their duties with immediate effect, pending normalisation of the appointment process to the said portfolios.

Hichilema stated that there will be re-organisation in the appointment of Provincial Commissioners of Police.

He explained that the current system is that the Provincial Commissioners of Police and the Inspector General of Police (IG), together with the two deputies, are appointed and sworn-in by the President, a situation he said creates a problem in the command structure.

Hichilema said the new office bearers “must have the interest of the people at heart and serve the country diligently while ensuring human rights, freedoms and liberties are respected”.

He said the police must carry out proper checks before detaining suspects and that “no one should be arrested before investigations are concluded”.

Hichilema, who was voted in as president earlier this month in a landslide victory, has been the victim of police brutality in the past.

He has been arrested and detained multiple times in the past – and had promised to deal with the heavy-handedness of the security forces.