He was given command of the TPDF soon after the army mutiny of 1964, when either a captain (Reuters 1967) or a lieutenant (Kaplan 1978).

Due to his performance, he was then invited to the prestigious Tabora Government Secondary School.

[1] Once graduating, he entered the Tanganyikan portion of the King's African Rifles as a private in 1958; and later attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

[2] During the mutiny within the newly formed Tanganyika Rifles in 1964, Sarakikya was in Tabora and remained loyal to Nyerere.

Following the aftermath, other senior officers were dismissed or sacked and he was given command of the newly formed Tanzania People's Defence Force.