Compulsory five-year military service in Mozambique begins after June

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Compulsory five-year military service in Mozambique begins after June

10:11 CAT | 12 Mar 2024

File photo: Notícias

Conscription into the Armed Defence Forces of Mozambique will last a mandatory five to six years after June, compared to the current two years, as provided for in the review of the Military Service law.

Speaking at a press conference about the 2024 military census in Maputo, National Director of Human Resources of the Ministry of National Defence, Colonel Jorge Delfim Leonel, said that the revision of the Military Service law could come into effect 180 days after publication.

The revision, approved by parliament on December 14, 2023, and published on December 29, provides, in particular, for the minimum period of mandatory military service increasing from the current two years to five years for general troops, and to six years for special forces.

The forecast points to the application of the changes starting after next June, leaving previous incorporations at a period of two years.

“It depends, it really depends on when these will be incorporated. Therefore, I cannot say here that this year will begin the five or six year period, as the law approved in the Assembly of the Republic has 180 days to come into force. Let’s imagine, hypothetically, that the incorporation occurs now. We are giving 180 days more or less until the month of June, so if the incorporation takes place before June, naturally, it will be in light of the previous law, and remain at two years,” Colonel Leonel explained.

Leonel justified the extension of military service explaining that, until now, for a period of two years in the ranks, the first nine months are taken up with basic training, followed by “a period of professionalization that takes from four to five months.”

“As you can see, it takes more than half the time to complete training in this soldier’s specialization, leaving only six months to complete his military service. It was considered advisable to extend this period in order to make soldiers professional and combative,” he pointed out.

An expansion, he insisted, “aims not only to professionalize the military during the fulfilment” of the mission, but also to ensure “the retention of military personnel within the ranks of the Armed Defence Forces of Mozambique” and “improve the operational capacity of these military personnel when requested”.

The Ministry of National Defence announced today that, from January 2nd to February 28th, it carried out the military registration of a total of 280,878 young people, an increase of 1.7% compared to 2023. However, no estimates were given for how many of these will be incorporated.

“Generally, incorporations are made based on the needs of the Armed Forces. The Armed Forces have a plan, which they send to the Ministry of National Defence, and it is based on this plan that we make the incorporations,” Colonel Leonel concluded.

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi asked on 22 November for “decisions” on the response capacity of the Armed Forces in Cabo Delgado, particularly with reservists, taking into account the planned withdrawal of foreign forces supporting terrorist groups on the ground.

“Concrete decisions on the response capacity of the Armed Forces in relation to their action in the fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado in the period after the withdrawal of friendly forces from SAMIM and Rwanda,” President Nyusi said in Maputo at the opening of the XXIV Coordinating Council of the Ministry of National Defence.

“To this end, your reflection must also evaluate how to best capitalise on the pool of reservists, engaging them directly or indirectly in various missions in favour of defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country. And the current reality justifies it,” he added.

Source: Lusa