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Tanzania People's Defence Force
The Tanzania People's Defence Force (TPDF) (Swahili: Jeshi la Ulinzi la Wananchi wa Tanzania) is the military force of the United Republic of Tanzania. It was established in September 1964, following a mutiny by the former colonial military force, the Tanganyika Rifles. From its inception, it was ingrained in the troops of the new TPDF that they were a people's force under civilian control. Unlike some of its neighbouring countries, Tanzania has never suffered a coup d'état or civil war.
The TPDF's mission is to defend Tanzania and every Tanzanian, especially the people and their political ideology. Conscripts are obligated to serve 2 years as of 2004.
After an aborted mutiny in January 1964, the existing army was disbanded. The new force was titled the 'Tanganyika Military Force', from 25 January 1964 - 26 April 1964. The Tanzanian government concluded that the former British model was not appropriate for the needs of an independent African state. Fresh recruits were sourced from the Tanganyika African National Union youth wing. After the merge of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, the force was renamed the United Republic Military Force on 27 April 1964.
For the first few years of the TPDF, the army was even smaller than the disbanded 2,000-strong Tanganyika Rifles, the air force was minuscule, and no navy had yet been formed. It appears that the new TPDF had three battalions by August 1965, stationed at Nachingwea, Colito Barracks (now called Lugalo) five miles outside Dar es Salaam, and Tabora, plus the yet to be fully integrated Zanzibari force of about 1,000. However the army was four battalions strong by 1967.
From 1964 to 1974, the TPDF was commanded by Mrisho S.H. Sarakikya, trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, who was promoted from lieutenant to brigadier in 1964 and became the force's first commander. He was succeeded by Major General Abdallah Twalipo in 1974. Twalipo was still a major general in 1975,[citation needed] but then promoted to lieutenant general by 1978 (Kaplan, 1978, 249) and then later full general.
In 1972, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) listed the army with 10,000 personnel, four infantry battalions, 20 Type 59 main battle tanks, 14 Type 62 light tanks, some BTR-40 and BTR-152 armoured personnel carriers, and Soviet field artillery and Chinese mortars. 'Spares [were] short and not all equipment was serviceable.'
War broke out between Uganda and Tanzania in October 1978, with several Ugandan attacks across the border culminating in an invasion of the Kagera Salient. President Julius Nyerere ordered Tanzania to undertake full mobilisation for war. In a few weeks, the Tanzanian army was expanded from less than 40,000 troops to over 150,000, including about 40,000 militiamen as well as members of the police, prison services, and the national service. Fighting in December was mostly limited to "trench warfare" along the border, marked by sporadic clashes and air raids. By early January 1979 all Ugandan troops had been ejected from Kagera.
Nyerere decided that Tanzanian forces should occupy southern Uganda as revenge for the devastation wrought by Ugandan troops in his country and to incite a rebellion against Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. The Tanzanians launched their offensive in mid-February 1979. Major General David Musuguri was appointed commander of the TPDF's 20th Division and tasked with overseeing the advance into Uganda. They steadily advanced, killing dozens of Ugandan soldiers and destroying large amounts of their material. Following the capture of Masaka and Mbarara, the TPDF halted to reorganise. Silas Mayunga was promoted to major general and given charge of a newly formed "Task Force", a unit consisting of the 206th Brigade and the Minziro Brigade, which was to operate semi-autonomously from the 20th Division. While the 20th Division moved out of southeast Uganda and attacked major locations in the country, the Task Force advanced north into western Uganda in the following months, engaging Ugandan troops conducting rearguard defensive actions.
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Tanzania People's Defence Force
The Tanzania People's Defence Force (TPDF) (Swahili: Jeshi la Ulinzi la Wananchi wa Tanzania) is the military force of the United Republic of Tanzania. It was established in September 1964, following a mutiny by the former colonial military force, the Tanganyika Rifles. From its inception, it was ingrained in the troops of the new TPDF that they were a people's force under civilian control. Unlike some of its neighbouring countries, Tanzania has never suffered a coup d'état or civil war.
The TPDF's mission is to defend Tanzania and every Tanzanian, especially the people and their political ideology. Conscripts are obligated to serve 2 years as of 2004.
After an aborted mutiny in January 1964, the existing army was disbanded. The new force was titled the 'Tanganyika Military Force', from 25 January 1964 - 26 April 1964. The Tanzanian government concluded that the former British model was not appropriate for the needs of an independent African state. Fresh recruits were sourced from the Tanganyika African National Union youth wing. After the merge of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, the force was renamed the United Republic Military Force on 27 April 1964.
For the first few years of the TPDF, the army was even smaller than the disbanded 2,000-strong Tanganyika Rifles, the air force was minuscule, and no navy had yet been formed. It appears that the new TPDF had three battalions by August 1965, stationed at Nachingwea, Colito Barracks (now called Lugalo) five miles outside Dar es Salaam, and Tabora, plus the yet to be fully integrated Zanzibari force of about 1,000. However the army was four battalions strong by 1967.
From 1964 to 1974, the TPDF was commanded by Mrisho S.H. Sarakikya, trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, who was promoted from lieutenant to brigadier in 1964 and became the force's first commander. He was succeeded by Major General Abdallah Twalipo in 1974. Twalipo was still a major general in 1975,[citation needed] but then promoted to lieutenant general by 1978 (Kaplan, 1978, 249) and then later full general.
In 1972, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) listed the army with 10,000 personnel, four infantry battalions, 20 Type 59 main battle tanks, 14 Type 62 light tanks, some BTR-40 and BTR-152 armoured personnel carriers, and Soviet field artillery and Chinese mortars. 'Spares [were] short and not all equipment was serviceable.'
War broke out between Uganda and Tanzania in October 1978, with several Ugandan attacks across the border culminating in an invasion of the Kagera Salient. President Julius Nyerere ordered Tanzania to undertake full mobilisation for war. In a few weeks, the Tanzanian army was expanded from less than 40,000 troops to over 150,000, including about 40,000 militiamen as well as members of the police, prison services, and the national service. Fighting in December was mostly limited to "trench warfare" along the border, marked by sporadic clashes and air raids. By early January 1979 all Ugandan troops had been ejected from Kagera.
Nyerere decided that Tanzanian forces should occupy southern Uganda as revenge for the devastation wrought by Ugandan troops in his country and to incite a rebellion against Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. The Tanzanians launched their offensive in mid-February 1979. Major General David Musuguri was appointed commander of the TPDF's 20th Division and tasked with overseeing the advance into Uganda. They steadily advanced, killing dozens of Ugandan soldiers and destroying large amounts of their material. Following the capture of Masaka and Mbarara, the TPDF halted to reorganise. Silas Mayunga was promoted to major general and given charge of a newly formed "Task Force", a unit consisting of the 206th Brigade and the Minziro Brigade, which was to operate semi-autonomously from the 20th Division. While the 20th Division moved out of southeast Uganda and attacked major locations in the country, the Task Force advanced north into western Uganda in the following months, engaging Ugandan troops conducting rearguard defensive actions.
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