He made this denial during an address to some military personnel who were part of Leobatt 1 on a peacekeeping mission to Somalia; who are requesting their leave allowances.

According to Lieutenant-General Williams, the allegation of leave allowances not being paid is untrue. He said peacekeeping missions with the African Union are not allocated leave allowances.

He explained that those who were on peace keeping missions were entitled to $1.28 dollars per day multiplied by the number of days spent in the theatre – that is their area of deployment. He said 50,000 dollars is paid as death benefit.

Leobatt 1 which the CDS said consisted of 850 personnel, was on a peace keeping mission in Somalia for a whole year 2013-2014

He said it is an offence for a soldier to be peddling rumours which might even be of security threat to the nation, and therefore warned that they should stop it now.

Lieutenant-General Williams presented a bank statement from the Union Trust   Bank to the head of the battalion and asked that he allowed access to each and every member of Leobatt 1 and of the Western Area.

Concerns were raised regarding benefits to those wounded in action and passports which are not in the possession of the soldiers since they returned from their peacekeeping mission.

Lieutenant-General Williams informed that the complaints have been channelled already and as an army, they are waiting for responses from the African Union.

He concluded by calling on them to exercise some patience, as such processes undertaken by the AU takes longer period.