•AN aerial view of the Twin Palm housing project in Lusaka where Government has constructed houses for Zambia Air Force personnel to address the accommodation crisis faced by the security wings. Picture courtesy of STATE HOUSE
By KAIKO NAMUSA –
GOVERNMENT has embarked on major construction of housing units for defence forces and built more than 4, 000 units by the end of 2013.
President Michael Sata said 4,336 medium and low-cost housing units were constructed and handed over to the security wings.
He said this yesterday in an update on Government’s efforts to improve the general welfare of the Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force (ZAF) and Zambia National Service (ZNS).
Mr Sata said of the 4,336 medium and low-cost housing units constructed and handed over to the security wings, the Zambia Army L85 received 2,830, the ZAF Twin Palm base got 1,001, and ZNS Makeni had 105 houses.
Zambia Army Chindwin Barracks in Kabwe and the Mufulira Army base were allocated 275 and 125 houses, respectively.
“Today, I wish to share with you our Government’s progress in the provision of accommodation for our distinguished men and women in uniform for the Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force and Zambia National Service.
“As of December 2013, a total of 4,336 medium and low-cost housing units were constructed and handed over to the security wings,” Mr Sata said.
The Head of State also posted on his Facebook page that about 77 per cent of works had been done towards completion of the out-patient and X-ray departments with associated external works at the Northern Command Military Hospital in Ndola.
Other works include the construction of the Air Force Hospital at the ZAF headquarters, construction of a mini hospital at ZNS in Makeni area in Lusaka, construction of a clinic at ZNS Munaskamba and Mkushi, as well as the construction of medical stores at Arakan Barracks in Lusaka.
“Going forward, our plan as Government is to construct additional housing and rehabilitate the existing infrastructure for the men and women in uniform across the country in line with the PF (Patriotic Front) plans,” he said.
