Remove Defence forces from the streets, Govt urged

Lesli Chikuse

Governance activist Leslie Chikuse has appealed to president Lungu to withdraw the Defence forces from the streets so that they can perform their core duties from their base as officers under the ministry of Defence.

Mr. Chikuse says the continued presence of the Defence forces in the streets is creating an impression that they have no other duties other than cleaning and vacating vendors from the streets.

He contends that the Defence forces must return to their base because their deployment in the street by the president was a matter of urgency which was triggered by the cholera pandemic.

Mr. Chikuse explains that it is now time for the Lusaka city council under the auspices and leadership of the worship the mayor Wilson Kalumba to swing into action and take charge in cleaning the city.

He therefore called on the local authority and the ministry of health to consider having consultative meetings with the Defence forces so that they can emulate how they have managed to keep the streets clean in a space of less than month.