Ecstasy as TPDF officer cadets graduate
A live music band and groups of artistes from Tanzania People’s Defence
Forces (TPDF) yesterday coloured the commissioning of the graduands of
the officer cadet course held at the State House in Dar es Salaam.
The celebration, beamed live on local
radio and television stations was graced by the Commander-in- Chief of
the Armed Forces, President John Magufuli. ‘Wananchi’ turned up early
and braved the long and tedious queues as they went through security
checks to get into the venue and occupy the terraces.
There was tight security as screening
took place on the relatives of the envisaged commissioned officers and
other guests as they entered the entrance gate. Officers from TPDF who
were seated in a special tent were shining in their military attire as
they waited for the head of state to officiate at the function.
Journalists from different media were not given any seat.
They later opted to remain standing for
almost three hours. TPDF who organised the function, had also brought in
some military groups of dancers who sang much to the delight of members
of the public who turned up for the function, that also entertained the
chief guest, Mr Magufuli.
The president is usually the last person
to enter the venue and the first to leave it, perhaps for security
reasons. This means whoever wanted to leave could not. At exactly 10.25
a.m, Mr Magufuli arrived at the grounds set for the commissioning of the
military officers, just outside the gates of State House.
Dressed in a blue suit, the Magogoni
office bearer was seen in a jovial mood as he walked straight to the
podium. He could be seen singing along as the national anthem was played
by a special guard of honour mounted by members of the TPDF and the
graduands of the officer cadet course.
Immediately after the National Anthem,
the president inspected the guard of honour and later granted awards to
the best five trainees before granting commission to 165 graduands of
the officer cadet course.
The officers who had an opportunity to
shake a hand with the Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces were the
overall best trainee Mr Said Idd who is a graduate of Bachelor of
Business Administration.
Others and their qualifications in
brackets were Mr Shahani Majid (Bachelor of Science in Computer
Engineering); Mr Hassan Mbaga (Bachelor of Science in Land Management
and Evaluation; Mr Lucas Ntamakusau (a Kenyan) (Bachelor of Purchasing
and Supply Management) and the only woman, Mariam Kayanda (Bachelor of
Mass Communication).
Later, the guests received colourful
entertainment from various military groups and the famous Mwenge Band as
it started to spot with rain shortly before the function ended. The
function was also attended by Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan and
Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa.