LUSAKA, April 7 (Xinhua) -- State House of Zambia confirmed to Xinhua that President Rupiah Banda on Wednesday retired all the top defense force commanders and their deputies from the Zambia Army, Zambia Air force, and the Zambia National Service (ZNS), replacing them with other officers with immediate effect.

Announcement of Banda, obtained by Xinhua from the State House, said that the President had retired General I.S. Chisuzi as Zambia Army Commander, replacing him with W.M. Lopa, former Zambian Defence Attaché in Addis Ababa. Lopa was elevated from Brigadier General to the rank of Lieutenant General.

"General Chisuzi has served with diligence and loyalty. I do hope Gen. Chisuzi will accept my offer to re-deploy him to a position where he can continue to serve his country which he has protected so professionally," Banda said in the Statement.
Banda also said he had retired Lt. Gen. Samuel Mapala as Zambia Air Force Commander, replacing him with Andrew Sakala, who recently retired from the Air Force and was recalled by Banda. Sakala was elevated from Brigadier General to Lieutenant General.

Banda said he will re-deploy Mapala in a different position.

Concerning the Zambia National Service, Banda said he had moved Maj. Gen.Raphael Chisheta from the position of Commandant of the Zambia National Service to "an appropriate position". Chisheta was replaced by Antony Yeta, who was elevated from Brigadier General to Major General.

Meanwhile, the Zambian President also replaced the Zambia Army Deputy Army Commander and Chief of Staff Major General Eliad Mutwale with Vincent Mukanda, the Zambia Air Force Deputy Air Force Commander Major General Evans Chengeta with Monta J. Chileshe, former Chief of Operations in the Zambia Air Force, and Zambia National Service Deputy Commandant Brig. Gen. J.M. Miti with Nathan Mulenga, former Zambia National Service Secretary at the Ministry of Defence Headquarters.

Banda made this announcement Wednesday in the State House, with sworn in ceremony of the newly appointed defence and service chiefs held after that on the same day in the State House.

Banda urged the new defence and service commanders, commandant and their deputies to continue working hard in preserving the peace of the country as they have done in the past, while he also calling on them to respect their predecessors and to get handovers properly.

On the same occasion, Banda also sworn in Abiudi Shonga as the new Attorney General and Sastone Silomba as Public Policy Specialist in the Coordination Division at Cabinet Office, according to Zambia News and Information Service (ZANIS).

Banda said the new Attorney General had a difficult task but expressed optimism that he would perform well, according to ZANIS.