Zambian Army

Zambian Army
Founded1963; 61 years ago (1963)
Country Zambia
TypeArmy
RoleGround warfare
Size5,989,360 Active duty personnel
Part ofZambian Defence Force
HeadquartersLusaka
Motto(s)Defend and Serve with Pride
ColoursScarlet and Dartmouth Green   
Mascot(s)Buffalo
Commanders
Commander-in-chiefHakainde Hichilema
Minister of DefenceAmbrose Lufuma
CommanderLt Gen Geoffrey Zyeele
Deputy Army CommanderMaj Gen Luswepo Sinyinza

The Zambian Army is the land military branch of the Zambian Defence Force. Like all branches of the Zambian military, citizens of the nation are required to register at 16 years old, and citizens can join at 16 years old with parental consent or at 18 years old when they are classified as adults by Zambia. There is currently no conscription. (There was a Zambia National Defence Force conscription from 1975 to 1980.) Applicants must be Zambian citizens and must have a school Grade 12 certification. Applicants must also undergo a test for HIV on enlistment. Personnel can serve until age 55, when there is a mandatory retirement. Its first Commander Major General was Michael Grigg, appointed by Kenneth Kaunda. The first local Commander was Gen Kingsley Chinkuli. According to the 2014 CIA World Factbook: The current National Army Commander is Lieutenant General Geoffrey Choongo Zyeele and his deputy is Major General Luswepo Sinyinzawho who were both appointed by President Hakainder Hichilema on 12 September 2024. [1]

  • There are 3,041,069 men between 16-49 who are classified as manpower (this does not mean that all of them are fit for duty), and 2,948,291 women between 16–49 who are classified as manpower. This makes a total of 5,989,360 people classified as manpower.
  • There are 1,745,656 men who are classified as fit for military service between the ages of 16–49. There are 1,688,670 women who are classified as fit for military service between the ages of 16–49. Therefore, Zambia has 3,434,326 people fit for military service between the ages of 16–49.
  • 1.55% of the GDP of Zambia is spent on the military, ranked 70th in the world.[2]
  1. ^ https://povonews.com/zambian-president-hichilema-fires-army-commander-dennis-sitali-alibuzwi/
  2. ^ "Zambia Military 2020, CIA World Factbook".