Samia commissions cadets

MONDULI: POMP and fanfare coloured the commissioning of 296 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-in-Chief of the armed forces.

Officer Cadet is a rank held by military cadets during their training to become commissioned officers.

The Commander-In-Chief commissioned 72/24 group regular course and Bachelor of Military Science (BMS) 06/22 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 22, 2025,” President Samia proclaimed at the ceremony, after which the officers took an oath 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.

All the officers commissioned were 257 males and 39 females, according to the Commandant of TMA, Brig Gen Jackson Mwaseba who informed the Head of State and the audience at the ceremony.

Among those commissioned, 21 were pilots, and two of them were presented with pilot wings on behalf of their colleagues.

“The training of group 06/22 BMS commenced on 24 October 2022, with 155 trainees all Tanzanians, of which 109 were male and 46 were female. Among them, 49 officers dropped out due to various reasons, including lack of physical fitness, discipline, unsatisfactory behaviour, not reaching academic standards and illness, so only 106 have graduated today and were granted commission,” Brig Gen Mwaseba said.

Brig Gen Mwaseba further said the 72/24 group regular course commenced in 10 December 2024 with 173 students, 153 men and 20 women. Of those 23 students were from allied countries from Burundi, Comoro, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia.

He further said in the group 71 students dropped out due to various reasons, so those who graduated and were awarded commissions were 79.

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.

The best overall cadet trainee intake 06/22 from BMS was Tawfiq Muhsin, the best trainee in the field was Kubo Mwakubo and the best trainee in academic performance was Megeyi Majengo.

For the 72/24 regular intake, overall best trainee was officer cadet David Lema, the best trainee in the field was Kelvin Sarara, the best trainee in academic performance was Kekazuri Eli and the best trainee from allied countries was Hasanuri Mohamed from Kenya.

Among the officer cadets who were commissioned yesterday, 111 trainees received their training at various military academies in Kenya, Uganda, Egypt, India, Ethiopia, Morocco and Russia, and later joined their counterparts at the Monduli-based college to be commissioned.

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.

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