Zambia Army Commander, Lieutenant General Willam Sikazwe is saddened by the death of former Defence Force Commander General Benjamin Mibenge who passed away yesterday.
Lt Gen Sikazwe has described the late General Mibenge as a soft spoken, friendly, but refined and hardworking career Officer who commanded the then Zambia National Defence Force -ZNDF- from August 1978 to September 1980.
He says even in his retirement, General Mibenge was always available for guidance and direction to the Zambia Army.
Lt General Sikazwe said General Mibenge’s death has come as a shock because he looked fit last time, he was at Arakan Barracks as Guest of Honour during the official launch of the first ever Zambia Army Doctrine on September 25, 2020.
General Mibenge joined the Zambia Army in 1965 as an officer cadet.
He did his initial military training at the prestigious Sandhurst Royal Military Academy in the United Kingdom.
During Zambianisation in 1970, General Mibenge was appointed Chief of Staff to serve under General Kingsley Chinkuli.
In 1977, he was appointed Zambia National Defence Force Deputy Commander.
And in 1978, he was elevated to Zambia National Defence Force Commander, the appointment he held till his retirement on September 8, 1980.
