TZMPAKAAU

KIKWETE HAS  RESTRUCTURED HIS CABINET FINALLY(RAIS ALIPANGA UPYA BARAZA LA MAWAZIRI)

President Jakaya Kikwete finally reshuffled his cabinet yesterday, leaving out six cabinet ministers and two deputy ministers, ending week-long tension that gripped the nation.

The reshuffle came following intense pressure from both the ruling party and opposition legislators, who had threatened to cast a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister, Mizengo Pinda, if the embattled former ministers were not removed from their positions.

Those who lost the president’s confidence are minister for Finance Mustafa Mkullo, who has been replaced by a new face, Dr. William Mgimwa; William Ngeleja, whose position has been taken over by a new appointee, Professor Sospeter Muhongo, and minister for Transport, Omari Nundu, who has been replaced by Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, who has been promoted from the ministry of Works where he was a deputy minister.

President Jakaya Kikwete with Prime minister Mizengo Pinda and his deputy Ghalib Bilal after the announcement of the new cabinet.

Other ministers who have been shown the exit door is minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Ezekiel Maige, whose portfolio has been filled in by former deputy minister for Home Affairs Khamis Kagasheki; Industry and Trade minister Cyril Chami, who has vacated for another new appointee, Dr Abdallah Kigoda, and minister for Health and Social Welfare Haji Mponda, a position now handed over to Dr Hussein Mwinyi, immediate former minister for Defence and at one time deputy minister for Health.

President Kikwete told a news conference at the State House in Dar es Slaam yesterday that he had decided to make the changes upon receiving a report on the heated debate in the national Assembly during the April seating in Dodoma, where seven ministers were strongly accused of being irresponsible, resulting in the country losing billions of shillings through malpractices, including embezzlement and outright theft.

“I received the report on what transpired in the House in Dodoma. We have concluded that two of the accused ministers be shifted to other ministries,” he noted.
Sources:TZMPAKAAU and Ippmedia