MAPUTO, Mozambique’s Defence Ministry has announced that in this year’s registration for military service it expects to register around 170,000 young people.
Under Mozambican law, all Mozambicans, of both sexes, must register for military service in the year of their 18th birthday.
According to the projections from the 2007 census, published by the National Statistics Institute (INE), this year, more than 583,000 Mozambicans reach the age of 18.
The figure of 170,000 is just 29 per cent of 583,000. Thus, the Ministry of Defence tacitly accepts that the vast majority of young Mozambicans will not register for military service. The same situation has occurred every year since the re-introduction of conscription in 1997.
Registration occurs throughout January and February and covers, not only those who celebrate their 18th birthday this year, but also all those who, for whatever reason, failed to register in previous years, so long as they are under the age of 35.
Most of those who do register will never join the armed forces (FADM), since the military only has the capacity to recruit a few thousand people a year.
Those registering are expected are expected to bring an identification document, a certificate showing their academic qualifications, and a residence declaration issued by the authorities of the area where they live.
This year’s registration is due to be launched officially by Defence Minister Atanasio M’tumuke on Thursday, in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.
Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK