Tanzania People's Defense Force (TPDF)
Jeshi la Ulinzi la Wananchi wa Tanzania (JWTZ))

The Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania, Act No 15 of 1984 S. 49, empowers the President of the United Republic of Tanzania to be the Commander of the Armed Forces. As the Commander in Chief he is empowered to declare war and commit the Defense Forces or part of it to active operations in or outside Tanzania.

The National Defense and Security Council (NDSC) is the highest decision-making authority in defense and security matters. It formulates defense and security strategies to meet the objectives of national defense. It is comprised of the President of the United Republic, the President of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, ministers responsible for defense and security, and the chiefs of the defense and security organs.

The Tanzanian Ministry of Defense is designed to support Tanzania’s foreign policy and security policy objectives. It guides the contributions of the Defense Forces to meet defense and security goals, and shapes their structure and capabilities. The Ministry of Defense has the responsibility to ensure consistency in training and maintaining the Armed Forces in accordance with the defense doctrine.

According to the National Defense Act of 1966, the Defense Forces Committee (DFC) is a committee at the Ministry of Defense level responsible for policy review and formulation on all matters relating to the administration and running of the TPDF. It consists of the Minister of Defense, the Chief of Defense Forces, the Permanent Secretary, the Chief of Personnel, and any other officer who may be appointed by the Minister of Defense. The components of the TPDF are stipulated in the National Defense Act, of 1966. The Regular Force is comprised of the active members of the TPDF organized in established units of the TPDF. It includes the Army, Navy, Air Defense, and the National Service.

The Regular Reserve component consists of the former officers and men of the Regular Force who, on discharge, are liable for call-up when the need arises within a period of three years. The Volunteer Reserve consists of those officers and men who have enrolled for other than continuing full-time service such as the Peoples Militia. Other Forces includes such other disciplined forces as the police, prison guards, and National Service when mobilized for active service.

The TPDF is a professional military that enjoys a good reputation with the general public. In many ways, the TPDF reflects Tanzania as a nation. It is a national military, drawing its enlisted soldiers from all of the country's 26 administrative regions. Like Tanzania in general, the TPDF is relatively free of tribal and religious conflicts. TPDF soldiers, like most Tanzanian civilians, see themselves as Tanzanians first, considering their ethnic and religious identities second/third.

Additionally, Muslims and Christians each comprise roughly half of the military. In Tanzania 62 percent of the population are labeled as Christian, 35 percent as Muslims, and the remaining three percent as having traditional African beliefs. While not a written policy, the TPDF traditionally rotates the position of Chief of Defense forces between Muslims and Christians. When the Chief of Defense Forces is Muslim, the Chief of Staff, the second-highest ranking person in the military, will be Christian, and the opposite is also true.

Similarly, the TPDF appears to be ahead of both Tanzanian society and the average African military in terms of the integration of women into its work force. As an organization, the TPDF values education and professional development. TPDF soldiers are generally well-disciplined, intelligent and motivated. In November 2008 a UN military representative in Tanzania to inspect the TPDF for suitability as a UN Troop Contributing Country (TCC) to the UNAMID Mission in Darfur described his perception of Tanzania prior to his arrival in the country as, "like a black hole. We had no idea what to expect. But we have been extremely impressed." In so many ways, this comment typifies working with the TPDF. The TPDF's insular culture masks a largely competent, professional military.

The TPDF is an extremely hierarchical, secretive organization. Due to the historical importance placed on information, in particular Human Intelligence (HUMINT), the TPDF is an intelligence-driven military. This has resulted in the TPDF developing an insular culture in which information is not freely shared. A by-product of this culture is a bureaucratic organization that does not reward initiative at the lower ranks.

Similarly as an organization the TPDF is very conservative. While typical of most large bureaucracies, the TPDF's insular, secretive nature exacerbates its resistance to change.

Another issue is that while most senior TPDF leaders speak English well, the average TPDF soldier speaks English poorly. In general this is a reflection of the poor educational system throughout Tanzania, as well as a conscious decision by the state to de-emphasize English in favor of Swahili. However, this impacts on the TPDF's ability to participate as effectively as possible in PKO and other international military operations.

Perhaps more importantly, like Tanzanian society in general, the TPDF appears to lack the capacity, to include human capital, to leverage donor support effectively or to implement change within the organization. The Chief of Defense Forces has stated that the TPDF has the will and the manpower, but not the right equipment, to complete all of the missions it would like to undertake.

Despite the importance the TPDF places on military education the TPDF has shortfalls in its professional military education and training for officers and senior NCOS. Like most African militaries, the TPDF lacks the ability to project military power. The TPDF's navy consists primarily of six small patrol craft, and the logistical and budgetary challenges of operating a navy make it difficult for the TPDF to project even littoral presence on a routine basis. Similarly, the TPDF air force lacks strategic lift and mobility capability.