Samia commissions cadets

ARUSHA: POMP and fanfare coloured the commissioning of 236 officer cadets who graduated from the Monduli-based Tanzania Military Academy (TMA) during an event graced by President Samia Suluhu Hassan who is also the Commander-inChief of the armed forces.

Officer Cadet is a rank held by military cadets during their training to become commissioned officers. The Commander-InChief commissioned 71/23 group regular course and Bachelor of Military Science (BMS) 05/21 intake in Monduli, Arusha yesterday through powers vested onto her through Article 148 (2) (a) of the Constitution of Tanzania and Section 29 (5) of the National Security and Defence Act.

“I hereby commission you to become Second Lieutenants starting today November 28, 2024,” President Samia proclaimed at the ceremony, after which the officers took an oath allegiance to defend the country and its constitution.

Ululations filled the air mainly from parents and relatives who had travelled from far and wide to see their children graduate from the military academy.

The officer cadets then paired themselves in a sheer display of military allure, each one, using their gloved hands, removing the mock pips from the colleague and replacing them with the real single gold bath star pips that are given to Second Lieutenants.

The officers consisted of 203 males and 33 females, according to the Commandant of TMA, Brig Gen Jackson Mwaseba who informed the Head of State and the audience at the ceremony.

“The training of group 05/21 BMS commenced on 8 November 2021, with 101 trainees, of which 64 were males and 37 were females. Among them, 26 officers dropped out due to various reasons, including lack of physical fitness, discipline, unsatisfactory behaviour, not reaching academic standards and illness, so only 74 have graduated today and have been commissioned,” Brig Gen Mwaseba said.

Brig Gen Mwaseba further said the 71/23 group regular course commenced in 27 November 2023 with 128 students, 107 men and 21 women.

Of those 21 students were from allied countries. He further said in the group, 33 students dropped out due to various reasons, so those who graduated and were awarded commissions were 74.

Apart from commissioning the former trainees who now become army officers with the rank of Second Lieutenant, President Samia presented awards to the best trainees who had excelled in various disciplines during their cadet military training.

ALSO READ: President Samia commissions 236 army officers

The best overall cadet trainee intake 05/21 from BMS was Claud Ndaiga, the best trainee in the field was Exavery Malobana and the best trainee in academic performance was Kelvin Tarimo.

For the 71/23 regular intake, overall best trainee was John Bahati, the best trainee in the field was Alpha Mhando, the best trainee in academic performance was Charles Kashinde, and the best trainee from allied countries was Thabo Masuku from Kingdom of Eswatini.

Unlike last year, this year there were no best female trainee from both groups. Soon after the award ceremony, the parade left the grounds in a slow march that was punctuated by a farewell melody from the TMA brass band.

The graduands later formed the traditional Omega symbol to signify the end of the training.

They later remerged, this time around donned in their graduation gowns for a brief graduation ceremony which was also presided over by the President. Institute of Accountancy (IAA) in the last seven years, has partnered with TMA in offering a Bachelor’s Degree in Military Science.

A host of ministers, diplomats and senior military officers were in attendance during the colourful ceremony. Among the officer cadets who were commissioned yesterday, 88 trainees received their training at various military academies in Russia, Kenya, Mozambique, Burundi, Uganda, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India and Zambia, and later joined their counterparts at the Monduli-based college to be commissioned.

The military college was established in 1969 at Kurasini when it was then known as Officer Cadets’ College before it was later shifted to Monduli in 1976 and renamed Leadership Training College.