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Relief at new DR Congo government | |
(about 9 hours later) | |
Many Congolese have been expressing relief that a new cabinet has finally been announced by Prime Minister Antoine Gizenga after landmark polls. | |
Last October's run-off presidential election was the first democratic poll in DR Congo for four decades. | |
But some politicians and newspapers have complained that the government is too weighted in favour of allies of President Joseph Kabila. | |
The government faces a country ravaged by years of misrule and conflict. | The government faces a country ravaged by years of misrule and conflict. |
Some critics say there are not enough representatives from western Congo, apart from Mr Gizenga and Nzanga Mobutu, son of former ruler Mobutu Sese Seko. | |
Electoral support for Mr Kabila was greatest in the east of the country while most westerners voted for former rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba and his MLC party. | |
Big team | |
The BBC's Arnaud Zajtman in the capital, Kinshasa, says newspapers sold well, as people rushed to find out who was in the new team. | |
"People have been waiting for this for a long time. It's a good day for Congo. We expect them to work like they should," a newspaper vendor said. | |
DR CONGO GOVERNMENT Antoine Gizenga - PMNzanga Mobutu - agricultureDenis Kalume - interiorMbusa Nyamwisi - foreign affairsNo-one from former rebel groups, RCD or MLC After weeks of delay in announcing the new administration, it comprises a small team of six state ministers and a larger cabinet of 54 ministers and vice-ministers. | |
Under a 2002 deal to end the five-year DR Congo conflict, a power-sharing government, including the former rebel leaders, was set up. | Under a 2002 deal to end the five-year DR Congo conflict, a power-sharing government, including the former rebel leaders, was set up. |
But Mr Kabila's supporters argued that his election victory gave him and his allies a mandate to govern alone. | |
Mr Gizenga, 81, promised to support Mr Kabila's bid for the presidency after he came third in the first round of presidential election in July. | |
He was a deputy prime minister in the government of the country's first post-independence leader, Patrice Lumumba. | |
Mr Mobutu, the new agriculture minister, also told his supporters to back Mr Kabila after he came fourth. | |
In terms of protocol, he is number two, after Mr Gizenga. | In terms of protocol, he is number two, after Mr Gizenga. |
New faces | |
Former rebel leader Mbusa Nyamwisi gets the foreign ministry and Denis Kalume remains interior minister. | |
Joseph Kabila is DR Congo's first freely elected leader in 40 yearsNo-one from the former rebel Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD) was appointed to the cabinet, after its presidential candidate Azarias Ruberwa, failed to get many votes. | |
Our reporter says there are many new faces in the cabinet, as many heavyweights from the Kabila regime were elected to parliament. | |
The election was supported by the UN's largest peacekeeping contingent - some 17,000 soldiers. | The election was supported by the UN's largest peacekeeping contingent - some 17,000 soldiers. |
Some 75 people died in rioting last week in several western towns after supporters of Mr Bemba took to the streets to protest against results from provincial elections. | Some 75 people died in rioting last week in several western towns after supporters of Mr Bemba took to the streets to protest against results from provincial elections. |
Mr Bemba was elected to the senate. | Mr Bemba was elected to the senate. |