DEFENCE Minister Ambrose Lufuma has called for collaborated efforts among countries in the Southern region to ensure peace and tranquility is restored in Cabo Del Gado region of Mozambique.
Mr Lufuma noted that continued unrest in that part of the continent was posing a threat to peace in the Southern Region hence it was incumbent upon neighbouring countries such as Tanzania and Zambia to work together to adress the situation.
He said this when Chief of Tanzania National Service (TNS) Rajabu Mabele who is on a four day tour of Zambia National Service (ZNS) production unit and facilities with a view of shared best practices paid a courtesy call on him in Lusaka yesterday.
Mr Lufuma said there was need for countries in the region to emulate former leaders such as the late Kenneth Kaunda and Julius Mwalimu Nyerere who ensured peace everywhere and never rested until peace returned to every country that experienced violence in the region.
“Right now as you are aware we have incursions in Mozambique, Cabo Del Gado area and that is keeping us as neighbours also uncomfortable because there is disturbance, freedoms are being trapped upon, justice is not being observed and people are being displaced…,” he said.
Mr Lufuma added “it is therefore incumbent upon ourselves as regional neighbours to ensure that there is peace and tranquility in these areas, that was the the principle of our founding Presidents,”.
He said the two founding fathers were committed to ensure that unless the whole region was free from violence they would not rest which he said should be a hallmark of the way people should leave even in modern days.
Mr Lufuma said the Tanzania national service had a number of progressive programmes which can be replicated in the country such as the voluntary recruitment reserve unit for people who would love to join the defence force.
He urged the ZNS to explore opportunities of replicating a similar programme being implemented by the Tazania National Service for the benefit of the people.
And Major General Mabele said Zambia and his country shared a good relationship from independence.
Maj Gen Mabele said his delegation was in the country for an exchange visit, following Zambia national service’s visit to Tanzania last month.
”We established our national earlier than Zambia but that does not mean that we know everything, we are here to learn from Zambia national service as well.
Zambia national service has done well in the area of agriculture and we would like to replicate what they are doing back home,” he said.
Maj Gen Mabele said Tanzania has maintained mandatory training for citizens and has a reserve unit for people who would like to join the defence force.
The Tanzania national service will be in the country for five days, during their stay they tour some Zambia national service projects in the country.
And ZNS Commander Maliti Solochi said the service was not just committed to playing a catalyst role of steering the country towards becoming a production hub of the continent but also wanted to be big in understaking mega infrastructural developments for the nation cost effectively.
The Tanzania National Service delegation is in the country for an exchange visit with the Zambia National Service a month after the latter visited Tanzania.
Ends……