President Hichilema Promotes Senior Military Officers, Including US Army Officer
Republican President and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Force, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, has promoted five Colonels and 26 Lieutenant Colonels to the ranks of Brigadier General and Colonel, respectively.
This promotion was executed under the authority of the Commander of the Zambia Army, pursuant to Section 165, Chapter 106 of the Defence Act, Volume 8 of the Laws of Zambia.
Commander of the Zambia Army, Lieutenant General Sitali Dennis Alibuzwi, congratulated the newly elevated officers during a pinning-on ceremony held at Army headquarters in Lusaka. Lt. Gen. Alibuzwi urged the officers to maintain their loyalty to the system and to exhibit the highest levels of competence befitting their new ranks.
In addition to the Zambian officers, Lt. Gen. Alibuzwi pinned new rank insignia on Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Kenion, a representative of the United States Embassy, who was promoted to the rank of Colonel by US President Joe Biden.
The promotion ceremony was conducted in accordance with Section 165, Chapter 106 of the Defence Act, which allows for the conferring of ranks on international cooperating personnel from other armies or defence forces.
Lt. Gen. Alibuzwi congratulated Col. Kenion on his promotion, emphasizing the importance of observing the Defence Act during such occasions. The ceremony highlighted the collaborative relationship between the Zambian and US armies.
US Ambassador to Zambia, His Excellency Mr. Michael Gonzales, attended the ceremony and commended Col. Kenion’s dedication to fostering cooperation between the two nations’ defence forces.
Ambassador Gonzales noted that Col. Kenion has demonstrated remarkable ingenuity in various sectors, including health, during his two-year stay in Zambia.
The promotion of Col. Kenion marks the third instance of US military officers being promoted while stationed in Zambia. The ceremony was also attended by Deputy Army Commander and Chief of Staff, Major General Geoffrey Choongo Zyeele.
