We’ll fire all soldiers abusing, beating up people - Says TPDF

Days are numbered for Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDF) soldiers beating up innocent people as an army general has said whoever shall be caught will be fired right away.

The warning was given here at the weekend by the Head of Personnel in the army, Major General Vincent Mritaba, during the closing of a course for new recruits at the Oljoro National Service Camp.

He said, it was the duty of the soldiers to guard the country’s borders from incursions or aggression from outside and not to take the law in their hands and harass innocent people. The army was also mandated to support community projects, he said.

He admitted that in recent days there have been cases of some soldiers using excessive force against wananchi, saying TPDF would not condone such acts of indiscipline.

“Those who behave like this will have to be fired forthwith,” he pointed out, remarking that when it was formed in 1964, the TPDF was intended to be an army of the people and not against the people.

On HIV/Aids, Major Gen Mritaba urged the new recruits to distance themselves from behaviours which can lead to being infected with HIV/Aids.

He said one of the conditions for being admitted at the training drills at the camp was being free of infection with the deadly scourge. “You should maintain this status for ever,” he pointed out.

Earlier, Head of Training from an army detachment in Coast Region Col. Ramadhani Churi said all the recruits had successfully completed their six month training.

This Post originally published on - The Citizen