Kenyan New President Names First Cabinet

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, January 04, 2003

Kenyan New President Names First Cabinet

Kenya's newly elected President Mwai Kibaki on Friday announced members of his first cabinet, pledging to battle corruption and restructure state-owned enterprises.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Kenya's newly elected President Mwai Kibaki on Friday announced members of his first cabinet, pledging to battle corruption and restructure state-owned enterprises.

The new cabinet includes a vice president, two ministers of state in the office of the President and 21 ministers. Michael Wamalwa, Kibaki's running mate in Dec. 27 general elections was appointed vice-president.

Also listed in the new cabinet are David Mwiraria, as minister of Finance; Kalonzo Musyoka, as minister of Foreign Affairs; RailaOdinga, as minister of Roads, Public Works and Housing; and GeorgeSaitoti, as minister of education, science and technology.

The new cabinet sets up some new ministerial portfolios while merging some former ones with others, such as the newly-established Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, and the Ministry of Cooperative Development.

In the general elections, the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) led by Kibaki won a landslide victory over the former ruling KenyaAfrican National Union (KANU). Kibaki won 62.2 percent of the presidential votes against 31.3 percent for KANU's Uhuru Kenyatta.

NARC also won 125 of the 210 elected seats in the National Assembly, the country's parliament, while KANU won 64 seats.

Addressing journalists after his announcement, Kibaki said thatthe new parliament will be sworn in on Thursday, and the government will submit two bills to it regarding the fight against corruption, a key condition set by international donors to resume aid to Kenya.

The president also vowed to drastically restructure the state parastatals such as the port authority and power and lighting company, saying that these enterprises have become a heavy burden to the country's treasury instead of income generators.

He said that the restructuring of the parastatals would be through selling, privatization and reforms.

On foreign relations, Kibaki said that the new government has been in good communications with friendly countries, and "the bulk of them have been very positive in their wish that our relationship be extended and their commitment to assist this nation."

The president also pledged to continue its efforts in regional integration, aiming to set up a common market in the east African region.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Iraq Vows Fight Against US in Different Way from 1991 Gulf War ( 5 Messages)

German Maglev Expert: World's Fastest Train Puts China in the Spotlight ( 4 Messages)

Pyongyang Orders IAEA Inspectors to Leave ( 31 Messages)

China Launches 'Shenzhou IV' Unmanned Spacecraft ( 31 Messages)

China Set Trade Growth Goal at 7 Percent in 2003 ( 23 Messages)