Tanzania New Cabinet Retains Most Ministers

Tanzania New Cabinet Retains Most Ministers

Tanzania 's President, Jakaya Kikwete has appointed a new cabinet. The new government has most senior ministers retaining their positions from the previous one.

Kikwete on Wednesday named his cabinet after winning an October 31 general election.

Speaking to reporters on the reappointment of some cabinet members, Kiwete said that his government reviewed the structure of the previous cabinet appointed in 2008 and was generally pleased with the performance.

The ministers, who retained their posts include; Finance and Economic Affairs Minister, Mustafa Mkulo and the Minister in charge of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Bernard Membe.

Energy and Minerals Minister, William Ngeleja and the Minster for Defence and National Service, Hussein Mwinyi, were also retained.  

New cabinet created

Kikwete created a new cabinet portfolio to boost foreign direct investment inflows to east Africa's second largest economy.

The 50 -member cabinet, including deputy ministers, has 24 new members. The previous cabinet had 47 members.

Among the new faces in the government is Anna Tibaijuka, former executive director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), as the country's minister for lands, housing and human settlements.

Tibaijuka, seen as a potentially influential minister, had been expected to join the cabinet after she was elected unopposed to parliament two months after retiring from the UN.

REUTERS/Williams/Yinka