TANZANIA: More women, new faces in Kikwete's cabinet

January 4, 2006 - (IRIN) Newly elected Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete announced his cabinet on Wednesday, comprising 29 ministers and 30 deputies. The cabinet has many new faces and the highest number of women the country has had since independence.

"This is a new government, with new goals and that is why we have several new faces. There are, however, several veterans around," Kikwete told a news conference at State House, his first since he was sworn-in as president on 21 December 2005.

The women in the new cabinet are seven ministers and 10 deputy ministers. The previous cabinet had four female ministers.

Among the women holding key positions in the new cabinet are Zakia Meghji, former minister for natural resources and tourism, who becomes the minister for finance, and Asha-Rose Migiro, the new minister for foreign affairs and international cooperation. Migiro was formerly minister for community development, gender and children.

Kikwete also appointed women to head the ministries of education, justice, livestock and community development.

He has restructured several ministries, splitting some, saying it was necessary to give special focus to crucial issues such as water supply, health, education, planning, economy, people's empowerment, agriculture and livestock development.

"Wherever I went during the campaign, water was one of the major concerns in both urban centres and rural areas. It is an issue that my government pledged to tackle more aggressively despite the fact that heavy investment is required," he said, justifying creation of a ministry to exclusively deal with water.

Explaining the creation of a separate ministry for livestock development, Kikwete said Tanzania had 17 million heads of cattle yet the livestock industry remained underdeveloped.

"We are producing little milk, export very little beef and our livestock keepers roam throughout the country with their animals in search for grazing grounds," he said. "We have to do away with archaic ways of livestock farming. I, therefore, create a separate ministry for livestock development."

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Below is the full list of the new cabinet, as at 4 January 2006:

President: Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete
Vice-President: Ali Mohamed Shein
Prime Minister: Edward Lowassa
Zanzibar President: Amani Abeid Karume

Ministers:
Foreign Affairs: Asha-Rose Migiro
East African Affairs: Andrew Chenge
Education and Vocational Training: Margareth Sitta
Finance: Zakia Meghji
Planning, economy: Juma Ngasongwa
Industry, Trade and Marketing: Nazir Karamagi
Agriculture and Co-operatives: Joseph Mungai
Natural Resources and Tourism: Anthony Diallo
Water: Stephen Wassira
Energy and Minerals: Ibrahim Msabaha
Infrastructure Development: Basil Mramba
Health and Social Welfare: David Mwakyusa
Higher Education, Science and Technology: Peter Msolla
Labour, Employment and Youth Development: Jumanne Maghembe
Lands, Human Settlement: John Magufuli
Information, Sports and Culture: Mohamed Seif Khatibu
Home Affairs: John Chiligati
Public Safety and Security: Bakari Mwapachu
Justice and Constitutional Affairs: Mary Nagu
Community Development, Gender and Children: Sophia Simba
Livestock Development: Shukuru Kawambwa
Defence and National Service: Juma Kapuya
Attorney General: Johnson Mwanyika
Ministers of State in President's Office:
Public Service Management: Hawa Ghasia
Good Governance: Philip Marmo
Political Affairs & Public Affairs: Kingunge Ngombale-Mwiru
Ministers of State in the Vice-President's Office:
Union Affairs: Hussein Mwinyi
Environment: Mark Mwandosya
Ministers of State in Prime Minister's Office:
Regional Administration and local Government: Mizengo Pinda
Parliamentary Affairs: Juma Akukweti
Deputy Ministers:
Prime Minister's Office
Luka Siame - Disasters
Selina Kombani - Regional Administration and Local Govt
Foreign Affairs:
Seif Ali Iddi
Cyril Chami
East African Affairs - Deodorus Kamala (Finance)
Abdisalaam Khatib
Mustafa Mkulo
Planning, economy: Salome Mbatia
Industry, Trade and Marketing: David Matayo David
Agriculture and Co-operative: Christopher Kiiza
Hezekia Chibulunje
Energy and Minerals: Lawrence Masha
Water:
Shamsa Mwangunga
Infrastructure:
Maua Daftari
Milton Mahanga
Health:
Aisha Kigoda
Education:
Mwantumu Mahiza
Ludovick Mwananzila
Higher Education, Science and Technology:
Gaudencia Kabaka
Labour, Employment and Youth Development:
Jeremiah Sumari
Daniel Nsanzugwanko
Lands: Ritta Mlaki
Community Development, Gender and Women:
Batilda Burian
Public Safety and Security:
Mohamed Abood
Home Affairs:
Bernard Membe
Livestock Development:
Charles Mlingwa
Natural Resources and Tourism:
Zabein Mhita
Information, Sports and Culture:
Emmanuel Nchimbi
Joel Bendera
Justice and Constitutional Affairs:
Mathis Chikawe
Defence and National Service
Omari Yussuf Mzee

From : http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50938&SelectRegion=East_Africa,%20Great_Lakes&SelectCountry=TANZANIA