View source for Lt Gen Wilford Funjika


{{Infobox military person
| name          = Wilford Joseph Funjika
| honorific_prefix = Lieutenant General
| birth_date    = c. 1946
| birth_place   = Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia)
| death_date    = {{death date|2014|05|23}}
| death_place   = Lusaka, Zambia
| allegiance    = [[Zambia]]
| branch        = [[Zambian Defence Force]]
| serviceyears  = 1967–2002
| rank          = {{ubl|[[Lieutenant general|Lieutenant General]]|Commandant of Zambia National Service}}
| commands      = [[Zambia National Service]] (1991–2002)
| battles       = 
| laterwork     = 
}}

'''Wilford Joseph Funjika''' (c. 1946 – 23 May 2014) was a Zambian military officer who served as Commandant of the [[Zambia National Service]] (ZNS) from 1991 to 2002. He rose to the rank of [[Lieutenant general|Lieutenant General]] during a career that spanned more than three decades. Funjika pioneered housing and early childhood education initiatives for ZNS personnel, but his career was later overshadowed by a high-profile corruption case in which he was convicted of abuse of office and imprisoned.

== Early life and education ==
Wilford Funjika was born in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) around 1946. Details about his early life and education are not widely documented. On 6 January 1967, at approximately twenty years old, he enlisted in the [[Zambian Army]], beginning a lifelong career in the armed forces.<ref name="LusakaTimes2014">{{Cite web |title=Gen Funjika who died on Friday to be buried tomorrow |url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2014/05/26/gen-funjika-died-friday-buried-tomorrow/ |website=Lusaka Times |date=26 May 2014 |access-date=22 July 2025}}</ref>

== Military career ==
=== Rise through the ranks ===
Funjika steadily rose through the army, eventually attaining senior officer status. In November 1991, he was seconded from the army and appointed as Commandant of the [[Zambia National Service]].<ref name="LusakaTimes2014" /> As Commandant, Funjika oversaw ZNS’s dual role of providing military support and engaging in national development programs.

=== Contributions and initiatives ===
During his tenure as Commandant (1991–2002), Funjika introduced several welfare projects:
* A '''housing initiative''' that encouraged ZNS units to construct their own residential accommodations to improve living standards for personnel.<ref name="LusakaTimes2014" />
* A '''pre-school project''' aimed at providing early childhood education for the children of ZNS members.<ref name="LusakaTimes2014" />
* Expanded agricultural and irrigation programs to boost food production on ZNS farms.

=== Retirement ===
Funjika retired from active service in June 2002, after 35 years in uniform. He was succeeded as Commandant by Major General Raphael Mbao.<ref name="Commandants">{{Cite web |title=List of Zambia National Service Commandants |url=https://www.zns.mil.zm/commandants |website=ZNS Official Site |access-date=22 July 2025}}</ref>

== Corruption charges and conviction ==
=== Arrest and trial ===
In March 2004, Funjika was arrested by the Task Force on Corruption and charged with abuse of authority and corrupt practices. He was accused of improperly awarding a contract for ZNS procurement in exchange for a £15,000 bribe used to pay for his children’s education in the UK.<ref name="LusakaTimes2007">{{Cite web |title=Funjika jailed |url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2008/03/11/funjika-jailed/ |website=Lusaka Times |date=11 March 2008 |access-date=22 July 2025}}</ref>

=== Sentencing ===
On 31 October 2007, he was convicted in the subordinate court and given a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years due to health concerns. The court also ordered him to repay the £15,000.<ref name="LusakaTimes2008">{{Cite web |title=Funjika pays back over K111m |url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2008/01/29/funjika-pays-back-over-k111m/ |website=Lusaka Times |date=29 January 2008 |access-date=22 July 2025}}</ref> However, on 10 March 2008, the High Court overturned the suspended sentence and imposed a custodial term of nine months with hard labor.<ref name="LusakaTimes2007" />

== Death ==
Funjika died on 23 May 2014 at Victoria Hospital in Lusaka after a period of illness. He was buried on 27 May 2014 at Leopards Hill Memorial Park with full military honors.<ref name="LusakaTimes2014" /> He was survived by his wife, Patricia, and seven children.

== Legacy ==
Funjika’s legacy is viewed as mixed. He is remembered in military circles for his initiatives in housing and education within ZNS. However, his conviction for corruption overshadowed his contributions and placed him among prominent figures in Zambia’s anti-corruption campaign.

== References ==
<references />

== Categories ==
[[Category:1940s births]]
[[Category:2014 deaths]]
[[Category:Zambian generals]]
[[Category:Zambia National Service]]
[[Category:Zambian prisoners and detainees]]
[[Category:People convicted of corruption]]
[[Category:Zambian people convicted of crimes]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of Zambia]]