THE FIRST INDIGENOUS ZAMBIA ARMY COMMANDER-GENERAL KINGSLEY CHINKULI
ON December 28, 1970, General Kingsley Chinkuli at the age of 31 was appointed as the first indigenous Zambia Army Commander by President Kenneth Kaunda.
Until 1970 most of the officers, including the army commander, were seconded from the British Army.
Gen. Kingsley Chinkuli studied as part of the British Royal Military at Sandhurst Academy (RMAS) upon finishing school. Upon his return to Zambia he rose quickly through the ranks to become Commander of the Zambia National Defense Force in 1976, as well as Deputy Minister of Defense. During this time his responsibilities also involved the coordination of liberation movements in a number of neighboring countries through the African Liberation Center.
In 1977, he changed position to that of Minister of Mines, then in 1978 he became Minister of Power, Transport, and Communications.
In 1980 he started serving as Minister of Youth and Sport, and over the course of the 1980s also took responsibility for the ministries of Agriculture and Water Development, Labor, Social Development and Culture, and Home Affairs. During this time he oversaw the transition from one-party rule to a multi-party democratic system.
CREDIT: Zambian History in Pictures