President Banda warns ZAF officers of HIV/AIDS dangers

The President said this in Livingstone today when he officiated at the commissioning parade of graduating ZAF officer cadets who have just completed one year of military and professional training.

The president, who is also Commander-In-Chief of the Zambian armed forces, observed that HIV and AIDS had negatively affected the fitness of military personnel, hence the need to maintain a high level of moral discipline.

Mr Banda says HIV/AIDS poses a serious threat to the effectiveness of the country's defence force, with a number of skilled manpower having been lost from the scourge.

He urged the graduating military personnel to treat HIV/AIDS as their number one enemy.

President Banda says the military career required officers to be fit at all times, and that they could only remain so if they looked after themselves well and displayed good moral standards befitting a well disciplined body of men and women in uniform.

Mr Banda also urged the graduating officers to be alert at all times as the Zambia's security lay on their shoulders.

The Head of State challenged female graduates to rise to the challenges of military life by aspiring for promotion like their male counterparts.

[Qfm]