It is acceptable to see fat generals

Luis Munguambe Junior"

Is it acceptable to see pot-bellied generals? It isn't. And it shouldn't be. Because a pot-bellied general is the portrait of an army that has lost its breath, both physically and morally. In the past, being a soldier was synonymous with endurance, discipline, and sacrifice. The body was the first uniform. In Samora Machel's era, a general didn't need a belly to demonstrate authority. His posture, character, and example were enough. A commander who couldn't run with his soldiers, march with them, eat the same dry bread, and sleep on the same floor... didn't deserve the title. Today, what we see are office-based generals. Wearing starched uniforms, ministerial bellies, and textbook speeches. They talk about defending the homeland, but they can no longer even defend their own waistlines. An army that weighs itself on privileges, not merits. It's the symbol of decadence: strength has become form, and form has become belly. But the problem goes beyond the physical. The body reveals what the institution has already lost: discipline, rigor, and a sense of mission. A fat general is the mirror of a system obese with corruption and laziness. Where there once was marching and training, now there are protocols, dinners, and committees. Where there once was merit, now there is favoritism and political appointments. That's why we no longer have military leaders—we have power brokers. And fat bosses, because power, here, thrives. It feeds on flattery, schemes, and a people who have learned to respect the uniform, even when it has lost its honor. During Samora's time, soldiers first learned to serve, then to command. Today, they first learn to command... and never actually serve. Physical appearance is merely a symptom. The real problem is the weight of mediocrity the country carries—which is reflected, ironically, in the bellies of those who should set the example. A fat general doesn't run, doesn't inspire, and doesn't lead. He's a bloated symbol of a bloated state, where those who should protect the people live by feeding off them. And the people, poor things, remain thin—both in body and in hope. So, I return to the question: is it acceptable to see fat generals? No. Because those who are not capable of controlling their own bodies are unlikely to be capable of defending a country.

2025/12/3