The Tanganyika Rifles was the sole regiment in the Tanganyikan army, from 1961 to 1964. With the independence of Tanganyika in December 1961, the two battalions of The King's African Rifles which had been raised in the colony were transferred to the newly independent nation. These were the 6th (Tanganyika Territory) Battalion (becoming the 1st Tanganyika Rifles) and the 26th (Tanganyika Territory) Battalion (becoming the 2nd Tanganyika Rifles).