This posting has been slightly changed after readers picked up some mistakes (last update, Monday afternoon). Feel free to submit corrections.
As Congo Siasa readers will know, the new cabinet was officially announced yesterday, comprising 2 deputy prime ministers, 25 ministers and 11 vice-ministers. In general, it seems that Kabila and his new prime minister do not feel the need for compromise, neither with members of their own party, nor with the opposition. This make for a leaner, slightly more technocratic cabinet than previous ones.
I have pasted the cabinet below. Here are my first impressions:
- Where is the opposition? While Prime Minister Matata had suggested that he was open to including the opposition in his cabinet, and after many diplomats had pushed Kabila to be conciliatory with the opposition, it seems like it all made little difference. Perhaps the president realized that the opposition is relatively weak and divided, so he does not need to reach out to them for the moment. The exception seem to be Jean-Paul Nemoyato (now minister of economy) and a member of Gilbert Kiakwama’s CDC party, which used to be in staunch opposition to Kabila. Francois Mwamba’s ADR, who is not considered to be in the opposition, also got one ministry (Musungayi, minister of industry).
- Few big names: Very few heads of political parties made their way into government. For example, the head of the MSR party, Pierre Lumbi, which did well in elections, is nowhere to be seen. Instead his party, which is the third largest in the presidential coalition, is represented by a minister (civil service and agriculture) and a vice-minister (decentralization). Olivier Kamitatu is also absent, but his ARC party has at least one ministry (social and humanitarian affairs). On the other hand, some of the most powerful positions have gone to people who have been relatively unknown politically. For example, both deputy prime ministers are technocrats, with Daniel Mukoko having been UNDP’s governance advisor for many years (before working as a technocrat in government), and Alexandre Luba having worked for the national security council.
- The cabinet has shrunk: From 48 to 38 positions. This, along with the absence of opposition members and heavyweights, seems to contradict the impression that Kabila has emerged weakened from the elections. Rather, it seems like he doesn’t feel the need to give too many concessions, either to his own allies or to the opposition.
- Ministries were not really distributed according to the parties’ weight in parliament – the PPRD seems to have gotten the lion’s share, but the second strongest party PPPD only got one ministry. In contrast, some parties with only a one seat, like the PR and PA, got important ministries. Rwakabuba’s UDCN party does not have a single seat but she obtained a vice-ministry.
- So who got what? Here’s what I can glean, but I am missing some officials who are unknown to me:
- PPRD: 8 (Kasweshi, Munga, Sadok, Maker, Muyej, Atama, Mumba, and Tunda wa Kasende)
- MSR: 3 (Vahamwiti, Kibala, Ngokoso)
- PALU: 2 (Mukoko, Kabwelulu)
- PPPD: 1 (Mbuinga)
- CCU: 1 (Mende)
- ULDC: 1 (Tshibanda)
- ADR: 1 (Musungayi)
- NAD: 1 (Inagosi)
- ADH: 1 (Magbengu)
- UNAFEC: 1 (Sakina)
- ECT: 1 (Numbi)
- UCP: 1 (Vunabandi)
- UDCO: 1 (Banza Mukalay)
- AFDC: 1 (Bahati Lukwebo)
- PDC: (N’sa Mputu)
- CDC: 1 (Nemoyato)
- PR: 1 (Kalumba)
- PA: 1 (Kin-Kiey)
- UDCN: 1 (Rwakabuba)
- ARC: 1 (Nawej)
- Provincial distribution:
- Katanga: 8
- Province Orientale: 4
- South Kivu:4
- Kasai-Oriental: 3
- North Kivu: 3
- Bandundu: 2
- Maniema: 2
- Bas-Congo: 2
- Equateur: 2
- Kasai-Occidental:1?
- Finally, as this will be important for the East, there are several prominent Hutu and Tutsi – Celestin Vunabandi is Hutu from Rutshuru and close to Eugene Serufuli, Sadok Biganza is a Munyamulenge from South Kivu, and (I think) Maguy Rwakabuba is a Tutsi from Rutshuru.
Here is the list:
Ministers (see here for Congo Independent’s bios):
1. Vice Premier Ministre du Budget : Daniel Mukoko Samba (Kongo, Bas-Congo)
2. Vice Premier Ministre de la Defense Nationale : Alexandre Luba Tamu (Lubakat, Katanga)
3. Ministre d’Affaires Etrangères, Coopération Internationale, Francophonie : Raymond Tshibanda (Luba, Kasai-Oriental)
4. Minsitres des Affaires Intérieures, Sécurité, Décentralisation : Richard Muyej (Ruund, Katanga)
5. Ministre de la Justice et des Droits de l’Homme : Wivine Mumba (Katanga)
6. Ministres des Medias et relations avec parlement : Lambert Mende (Tetela, Kasai-Oriental)
7. Plan, suivi de la révolution de la modernité : Celestin Vunabandi (Hutu, North Kivu)
8. Portefeuille : Louise Munga (Katanga)
9. Eco/Commerce : Jean-Paul Nemoyato (Province Orientale)
10. Aménagement du territoire, urbanisme, habitat, TP/AT : Fridolin Kasweshi (Lubakat, Katanga)
11. Hydrocarbures : Crispin Atama (Province Orientale)
12. Industrie et PME : Remy Musungayi (Luba, Kasai-Occidental)
13. PTT, NTIC : Kin-Kiey Mulumba (Yansi, Bandundu)
14. Emploi, Travail et Prévoyance Sociale : Modeste Bahati Lukwebo (Shi, South Kivu)
15. Sante : Felix Kabange Numbi (Lubakat, Katanga)
16. ESURS : Chelo Lotsima(Province Orientale)
17. EPSP : Maker Mwangu (Kasai-Occidental)
18. Agriculture : Jean-Chrysostome Vahamwiti (Nande, North Kivu)
19. Affaires foncières : Robert Mbuinga Bila (Bas-Congo)
20. Affaires Sociales : Charles Nawej (Ruund, Katanga)
21. Genre, famille : Genevieve Inagosi (Province Orientale)
22. Fonction Publique : Jean-Claude Kibala (Rega, South Kivu)
23. Sport, Jeunesse: Banza Mukalay (Lubakat, Katanga)
24. Transport et voies de communications : Justin Kalumba (Maniema)
25. Environnement, Conservation de la nature et Tourisme : Louis Bavon Mputu (Equateur)
26. Mines : Martin Kabwelulu (Katanga)
27. Ressources hydrauliques et electricite : Bruno Kasanji Kalala (Luba, Kasai)
Deputy ministers
28. Vices Ministres Affaires Etrangères : Tunda Wa Kasende (Kasai-Oriental)
29. Coopération Internationale : Dismas Mangbengbu (Equateur)
30. Décentralisation et Affaires Coutumières : Egide Ngokoso (Bandundu)
31. Droits Humains : Mme Sakina Binti (Maniema)
32. Plan : Sadok Biganza (Munyamulenge, South Kivu)
33. Finances : Roger Shulungu (Kasai)
34. Budget : Mme Abuyuwe Vita
35. EPSP : Maggy Rwakabuba (Tutsi, North Kivu)