Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza has named a new unity Cabinet, drawing members from two leading opposition groups in a bid to end months of political deadlock in the troubled African nation.
The new Cabinet, announced late on Wednesday, comprises 19 ministers and seven deputy ministers, presidential spokesperson Leonidas Hatungimana said.
It is the sixth time Nkurunziza has revamped the government since coming to power in 2005.
Of the total members, 15 are from Nkurunziza’s party, six from the main Frodebu opposition group and the rest from Uprona, another opposition party.
Nkurunziza’s party has not controlled enough of Parliament to pass laws since February.
In September, the president reached an agreement with Frodebu and promised he would come to a swift conclusion with Uprona when talks began in October.
Burundi is still emerging from 14 years of civil war that killed 300 000 people.
Nkurunziza was elected to head a unity government after long-drawn negotiations that ended the country’s ethnic-driven civil strife that erupted in 1993. — Sapa-AFP