ZNS Commander Honored with New Book Unveiling Untold Story of Zambian Soldiers’ Captivity
Zambia National Service (ZNS) Commander Lieutenant General (Engr) Maliti Solochi II was honored yesterday with the presentation of a new book titled “UN Hostages of Peace in Sierra Leone: The Untold Battle for Rogberi Junction”, authored by Brigadier General Dr. David Suuba Sanene.
The book reveals the harrowing true story of Zambian Army soldiers who were captured by Sierra Leone’s Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels in 2000 during a United Nations peacekeeping mission.
The gripping narrative details the ordeal faced by ZAMBATT peacekeepers, held hostage by RUF rebels led by Foday Sankoh and backed by then-Liberian President Charles Taylor.
General Sanene, while presenting the book at ZNS Headquarters, emphasized that the story aims to honor the bravery and resilience of the Zambian soldiers, many of whom endured unimaginable hardships during their captivity.
“My motivation stems from a desire to highlight the battalion’s ordeal, considered one of the worst nightmares in the Zambia Army’s history,” General Sanene stated, announcing plans for an official launch of the book to ensure Zambians understand the full scope of the operation.
Lt. Gen. Solochi praised the book’s significance in preserving Zambia’s military history and expressed his own inspiration to contribute to documenting the ZNS’s storied past. “It has encouraged me to embark on writing my own book, contributing to the preservation of our military history and lessons learned,” he said.
The book’s publisher, Sotrane Publishers Chief Executive Officer Dr. Sydney Muponda, committed to collaborating with more military authors to document the Zambia Army’s history and make it accessible to the public.
The initiative will help preserve and share the legacy of Zambian soldiers and their contributions to regional peacekeeping efforts, including in Sudan and other neighboring countries.
