NDC Tanzania Historical Background
The road to NDC can be traced back to the establishment of the Tanzania Peoples Defence Forces (TPDF) in the mid-sixties. However, the concrete idea of establishing NDC in Tanzania was mooted in the 1990s. Prior to opening NDC Tanzania, officers from Tanzania Peoples Defence Forces have been attending NDC abroad specifically in Kenya, India, UK, Bangladesh, Pakistan, to mention but a few.
The concept of establishing NDC has existed for more than three decades. In 1998 the TPDF HQs formed a committee which examined possibilities of establishing NDC. The committee team underscored the desirability and importance of having the NDC in the Country. However, it was not easy to establish such an institution at that time due to financial constraints and heavy running costs of the college. In 2008 the idea of establishing a NDC was again revived. The Chinese Peoples’ Liberation Army was approached and they kindly consented to construct the premises-gratis. On 10 January, 2011 the newly constructed campus was handed over to TPDF in a grandiose ceremony officiated by The Minister of Defence and National Service Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi. On 11 April, 2011 the NDC Faculty comprising the Commandant Major General (now Lieutenant General and URT ambassador to Zimbabwe, Charles LawranceMakakala, three SDS and the College Secretary were appointed to start preparations for NDC Course 01. On 10 September 2012 Dr.JakayaMrishoKikwete, the Former President of the United Republic of Tanzania and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces officially inaugurated the College and its First Course.
Dr. JakayaMrishoKikwete, the former President of the URT & C-in-C officially inaugurated the College and its First Course on 10 Sep 2012.
What is National Defence College?
The National Defence College - Tanzania is a centre of excellence for conducting National Security Studies in a unique and most comprehensive way. It is an inter-services (defence-civil) Government establishment under the Ministry of Defence and National Service. It has been established and mandated to run Security and Strategic Studies Course for senior officers from the Defence, Security Organs and Civil Services. Its aim is to equip Defence and Government policy makers with requisite economic, political, military, scientific, international relations and national organizational knowledge necessary for understanding of national security in its internal and external dynamics. In the forty-seven week training, Course Members are exposed to an integrated multi-dimensional knowledge which enables them to appropriately address challenges impacting on the national security. The NDC also offers an opportunity to those selected senior officers of getting together and exchanging ideas and hence enabling a holistic appreciation of each other’s problems, both in peace and in war. The course therefore builds the capacity of the Course Members for subsequent effective policy making at grand strategic level.
The role of the NDC:-
To provide a facility to bring together selected Senior Officers from various Government Institutions and other Organizations for the purpose of giving them a structured exposure to diverse issues related to National Security of a modern state, in general and Tanzania in particular.
To facilitate individual development of selected Senior Officers of the Government Institutions and other selected Organizations nominated for training at the NDC by creating at the College the necessary academic environment related to National Security issues.
To develop a thorough and lasting mutual understanding between different Organizations of the Government and selected allied countries by creating a necessary working environment and opportunities for development of such understanding between officers under training at the NDC.
To be an instrument for the Government to foster better understanding, mutual co-operation and desirable linkages in the national, regional and international security related fields with countries of our Region.
The Main Course of instruction at NDC – Tanzania is “Security and Strategic Studies” conducted annually for 47 weeks. Other than the Main Course in Security and Strategic Studies, the NDC conducts Capstone Courses for Government leaders who may not have the opportunity to attend the regular NDC Course.