COMMANDOS TRADE RIFLES FOR BROOMS AT KAMWALA
….transforming a mountain of filth into an orderly landscape
By DAVID KANDUZA
THE fierce sun beating down on the concrete of the FINDECO Flyover Bridge usually reflects the chaotic energy of one of the capital’s busiest economic hubs
But the early morning, November 9, 2026, the usual chorus of haggling vendors and revving minibuses was replaced by a different kind of rhythm: the disciplined, heavy stomp of combat boots and the steady scrape of shovels.
In a striking departure from their highly classified, high-stakes military operations, a contingent of 150 elite commandos from the Zambia Army Special Forces traded their weapons for brooms, rakes and wheelbarrows to wage war on the mounting filth in Lusaka’s Kamwala Trading Area.
The initiative, launched to celebrate Special Forces Day and complement municipal efforts, saw the nation’s toughest soldiers rolling up their sleeves alongside Lusaka City Council (LCC) enforcement teams.
The target zone—the dense, choked stretch between the Universal Church and the flyover—has long been a hotspot for illegal makeshift shacks, blocked drainages and overwhelming piles of garbage.
The atmosphere in the trading area ahead of the commandos’ arrival was frantic.
Alerted to the impending military-grade cleanup, local traders hurriedly dismantled their own illegal makeshift shacks, desperate to comply before the Maroon Berets made their entrance.
By the time the trucks rolled in, the area was ready for a radical tactical overhaul.
The scene was a masterclass in military efficiency.
Dressed in their distinctive camouflage and iconic berets, the commandos split into tactical cleaning squads.
While the deployment sparked debate among some political observers regarding the use of elite external defense forces for local administrative tasks, the mood on the ground was overwhelmingly cooperative.
“Thanks for the compliance,” one local coordinator who did not want to be named remarked as the area cleared out faster than any standard municipal order could ever achieve.
“Once the Special Forces offer themselves, Kamwala will be clean before it is even cleaned.”
For the commandos, led by Special Forces Commander Brigadier General Moses Shapwaya, the mission was a direct way to give back to the community they are sworn to protect.
Rather than confining their celebrations to the barracks, the officers chose to sweat alongside the public, bridging the gap between the military and civilian life.
As the sun began to rise, the transformation was undeniable.
The ‘Blue Tents’ market area, once an impenetrable maze of illegal commerce and garbage, is standing open, airy and sanitised.
The commandos proved that whether they are defending national borders or tackling domestic waste, they remain ‘only the toughest’—even when the enemy is nothing more than muck.- alendo