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.
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)
Tshibanda has his own party ULDC, from which Zacharie Bababaswe, popular journalist and recently elected, is a member. Daniel Mukoko is from PALU, he was deputy chief of staff of former prime minister Muzito.He failed to get elected in his home province of Bas Congo.And Munga is definitely from PPRD. She was a former minister of PTT and an advisor to Kabila before that.
ReplyDeleteJason -
ReplyDeleteRaymond Tshibanda has his own political party called Union des Libraux Democrates Chretiens (ULDC).
He is very close to J Kabila he has been in his entourage since the beginning. His party has some well known personalities such as Zacharie Bababaswe the founder of Lingala facile...
Another motivation is that Raymond Tshibanda negociated the organisation of the next (14th) francophonie summit to be held from the 12th to 14th October in Kinshasa D R Congo. Not easy to convince heads of States to come to Kinshasa these days...
Pierre Lumbi has a much bigger job than a place in the cabinet as you know he is the Security adviser to J Kabila. Remember when Sambo Kaputo died, it was a big loss to J Kabila very similar to the loss of Mwanke after trying a few heads, Pierre Lumbi seems to have remained in that job longer than many and he has been very central to many key decisions (the Chinese deal when he was in charge of infrastructure in Gizenga cabinet...).
I must say, I'm so glad Maker Mwangu is back. he is a true hard working man and in the few years he has been at the ministry of enseignement primaire et secondaire, he has done some impressive changes...
I'm surprised Kamitatu is not in the government but at the same time, as I told you before, I can expect many unpopular decisions in this legislature. Some of these decisions will not only be sower to the opposition; but the majority and people in the regime will also have their fair share...
Rich
It will be nice if the government could present their educational and professional background along with their names.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that Mende came back, I can't believe that Kin Kiey is back also, I guess that's a thank you for all the propaganda he has been writting.
SNEL/REGIDESO have their proper ministry, let's hope things will improve.
ReplyDeleteOnly three women, am I right? Indecent
You've listed the Minister of ESURS as Kyelo Lotama. All the reports I've read list the new Higher Education Minister as Chelo Lotsima.
ReplyDeleteMaguy Rwakabuba Ribagiza
ReplyDeleteshe is the president of UDCN(Union des Démocrates pour la Concorde Nationale)close to PPRD. She is new in political world but she has run a business family for many years RWACICO in Bukavu and Goma.
I stand corrected on Mukoko and Tshibanda (and have amended above). Does that mean that PPPD has no ministry?
ReplyDeleteThe CNDP are upset that none of their people got positions and feel like giving a vice-ministry to Rwakabuba was a poor substitute.
Hi Jason,
ReplyDeleteCan you please give us the tribe for all ministers as you did for Vunabandi, Maguy and Sadok ?
In your previsous comments you say " The CNDP are upset that none of their people got positions and feel like giving a vice-ministry to Rwakabuba was a poor substitute." Look like to be Tusti from Nord Kivu is automatically to be member of the CNDP.
Hi Jason,
ReplyDeleteIt seems like there is a divorce between "Nande" and Kabila, by reading the names in the new government I could not find any "Nande". Can you confirm it please? And don't you think this divorce will add another turmoil in the Kivu
Alain
Alain -
ReplyDeleteRef # "It seems like there is a divorce between "Nande" and Kabila, by reading the names in the new government I could not find any "Nande"."
Are you serious?
Do you mean the new cabinet should have had around 200 members representing all the communities living on the DRC soil?
We need to stop seeing a position in government as the only place where people can bring positive changes in their communities.
Just a thought...
Rich
@Alain - Vahamwiti, the MSR MP from Lubero and now Min for Agriculture, is Nande.
ReplyDeleteRobert Mbwinga (former CEO RVM) is from PPPD. But it doesn't matter actually because PPPD = PPRD. Just a satellite party which has no real independence.
ReplyDeleteHi Jason,
ReplyDeleteLet me talk off-topic blog.
Rumors and realities in Goma;
-People from Sake and Mishaki are fleeing to Goma(DRC), Gisenyi (Rwanda) and Kisoro (Uganda).
- Uncontrolled and pro Bosco troops took control of Mishaki since yesterday.
- Colonel Biyoy and Kalehe solders also runaway.
- Colonel Padiri rescued by Monusco Helicopter, yesterday - he was about to be caught.
- Population in Goma are in high alert as no one knows what is going on.
- Gen Bosco is not reachable in any communication network since a week.
- Colonel Innocent was seen with Colonel Padiri couple of days ago in Goma.
What is Going on Jason?
I was trying to google the current crises in eastern part of DRC but NO NGO or news agency reporting.
CHURUCHURU
it seems like a good start with this new government, let hope they will delivered to the rebuild of DRC, and to those under perform should be axed immediately; however, it would be better to get more detail on each minister qualification background.
ReplyDelete@ churuchuru
ReplyDeleteI think radio okapi is talking about the situation on the ground. Idk what the Fardc mean when they said the situation is under control.
Did not see where you mentioned Mende the Mendacious in the party breakdown.
ReplyDeleteI really just have one question and a comment
ReplyDeleteQuestion.....
Does Ponyo retain the Finance portfolio or not? If so, why?
Comment(s).....
I get the feeling from Jason’s post that the size (and elan) of this government reflects a more confident Kabila who feels no need to divvy out spoils/patronage.
That’s certainly possible.
But I wonder: could it also be a reflection of the fact that there are few spoils to go around?
I mean, just how are the finances of this government?
Mel
(ok, so I had three questions!)
@Churuchuru - The only reporting I've seen so far is on Radio Okapi, and a few advocacy folks twitter streams. One report said, "Cheka+allies seek to take control of Walikale-Masisi axis section in Walikale terr."
ReplyDeleteHere's a couple more reports.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17893674
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hRmXciOEvu-j2aLIZVqtKDnnEOmA?docId=CNG.d71069448e07085ec4ddc48e28c4dc32.71
Anand -
ReplyDeleteThanks for the links.
I heard Kinshasa has sent heavy weaponry to Goma on Sunday night. The other thing I heard is that the rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs is in Kinshasa but I need to back that up from other sources...
From all this, it is now more than clear that bosco is not going without a fight. It doesn't matter if he is to be judged in Goma, Kinshasa or at the Hague. He has decided to fight and no one knows how this will unfold...
Rich
Rich - I think that's a pretty sound analysis my friend. Let's hope it causes little harm to ordinary folks.
ReplyDelete@ Jason Stearn,
ReplyDeleteIndeed the PPPD has no appointment either in National Assembly and in the Government although they were the 2nd ranking party in terms of number of elected MPs. Add the fact that one of the head of PPPD She Okintundu was reported as meeting the Informateur as a member of PPRD and we can quickly conclude that PPPD = PPRD and that therefore PPRD had twice as many candidate as any other party in the legislative elections.
I hope that this government will appease our friends from Katanga..... I am sure if Tshisekedi had formed a government with 8 ministers from K-Or we would have had an uproar with threat of secession.... Good luck guys with your revolution of modernity.
ReplyDeleteI like your post! Thanks!!
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