FRIDAY, 1.00PM
LAURENT KABILA, self-proclaimed president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), has named his first government, but has left certain key ministries vacant, and leaving out for the time being the popular former prime minister Etienne Tshisekedi.
Kabila opted for an American-style administration, abolishing the post of prime minister for which Tshisekedi had been widely tipped.
A four-hour delay in the announcement of the new government is believed to have been due to last-minute horse-trading between Kabila’s rebel alliance and the main opposition. A kabila spokesman said further announcement will be made, but did not elaborate.
The post of vice-president under Kabila and several ministries, including the important defence portfolio, were left vacant. As anticipated, most of the portfolios are held by members of the rebel alliance. The list was headed by Interior Minister Mwenze Congolo. Justine Kasavubu, a member of Tshisekedi’s Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), was appointed civil service minister. Another UDPS member, Paul Bandomba, was named agriculture minister, while the posts and telecommunications portfolio went to Kinkela Vinkasi, a lawyer from the Patriotic Front. The most sensitive posts — including the interior, finance and foreign affairs portfolios — went to the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo/Zaire (ADFL), headed by Kabila.
Meanwhile, ousted Zairean dictator Mobutu Sese Seko left the Togolese capital on a flight bound for Morocco on Friday morning. Clad in his trademark jacket and leopard-skin hat, Mobutu was escorted to the steps of the aircraft that would take him to Rabat by President Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo and Prime Minister Kwassi Klutse. Mobutu walked slowly and clearly had difficulty climbing the steps of the aircraft.
Morocco on Thursday night recognised Kabila’s government. The foreign ministry said Rabat hoped to have “fraternal and co-operative relations” with the Democratic Republic of Congo in order to “build a prosperous and interdependent Africa.”