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TPDF History - 1969-1980 - Consolidation

The second phase in the evolution of the TPDF was a consolidation phase from 1969 to 1980. In 1970, a naval company was established with assistance from the Chinese. In addition, an Air Defense regiment was established with assistance from the Soviet Union. Nyerere, strove to remain unaligned by maintaining relations with both the East and West.

Toward the end of the 1960s developing situations demanded substantial increases in the number of men under arms and the amount of money budgeted for military purposes. In early 1971 the rise of Idi Amin as military dictator of Uganda and his belligerence and unpredictability emphasized the need for increased Tanzanian defenses, but Nyerere's own policies also indicated such a need. Nverere had become, or had always been, an outspoken advocate of all liberation movements on the African continent. and Tanzania had become headquarters and training ground for guerrilla forces seeking the overthrow of various white regimes. Tanzania was thus possibly subject to hostile reprisals, another factor in the perceived need for increased defense.

In early 1972 Rashidi M. Kawawa was made prime minister, and a separate cabinet position for defense and national service was created with Edward M. Sokoine as minister. In a reshuffling of his cabinet in 1977, President Nverere promoted Sokoine to the prime ministership and demoted Kawawa to the defense position. No explanation was given, but observers guessed that Kawawa had been associated with some recent ecocomic setbacks.

Tanzania defense forces were deployed for combat outside the country. In October 1978, Ugandan President Amin Dada invaded Tanzania by sending troops after mutineers, some of whom fled to Tanzania. He then accused President Nyerere of being the root cause of Uganda’s internal problems. Amin formally annexed a section across the Kagera River boundary, claiming that the area was part of Uganda. The Tanzania military was mobilized for counter-attack, and in April 1979, Tanzania took Kampala. Amin fled Uganda to Libya and eventually ended up in Saudi Arabia after falling out of favor with President Gaddafi.