Commander of Civic Services Appointed

26 April 2011

Maputo — Mozambican President Armando Guebuza at a Monday ceremony in Maputo appointed Maj-Gen Julio dos Santos Jane as commander of the Civic Services of Mozambique.

Jane was previously commander of the Samora Machel Military Academy in the northern city of Nampula. That post is now occupied by Maj-Gen Victor Muerequetule, who was formerly commander of the Sergeants’ Training School.

The Civic Services complement the country’s compulsory military service, and are intended to absorb some of the young Mozambicans who are unable to enter the armed forces.

All Mozambicans, of both sexes, are obliged to register for military service in the year of their 18th birthday. But there are around half a million 18 year olds – and, as the population grows, that number will rise. Logistical and financial constraints, however, make it impossible to incorporate more than around 3,000 conscripts every year into the Mozambican armed forces, the FADM.

The civic services will provide activities of a non-military nature for some of those unable to enter the FADM. They will be involved in building public infrastructures such as schools and roads, and in other activities regarded as useful for society. It is not, however, at all clear how many youths will be placed in the civic services, or how much these services will cost the state budget.

Guebuza also relieved Patricio Jotamo of his duties as commander of the Mozambican navy and replaced him with Lazaro Menete, promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral. Menete had previously been Director of Operations of the FADM.

Others relieved of their duties included the Chief of Staff of the Navy, Nazario Zandamela, and the FADM Director of Reconnaissance, Joaquim Manjate, Five colonels were promoted to brigadiers.

Addressing the ceremony, Guebuza said the government expects the new appointees to perform their duties with a sense of mission and of the motherland that has always typified the Mozambican armed forces since the days of the struggle for independence from Portuguese colonial rule

“In your day-to-day activities you should honour the trust that has been deposited in you”, he said. “You should, in particular be committed to training the young people who enter the military career so that they learn to spread the noble values of this very special people”.

Guebuza stressed that the armed forces were born, and have grown in defence of the highest principles, values and interests of the people, including national unity, peace, national development and solidarity with other peoples of the world.

The FADM, he said, was not just a military institution, but also “a school that teaches values for life”,

The new Civic Service, Guebuza added, would “open a window for more young Mozambicans to deepen the value of national unity, of solidarity among Mozambicans and of love for the people”.

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