New DRC Mines Minister Named

150 150 Rapaport News

(Rapaport…November 19, 2002) A shakeup in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government continued as President Joseph Kabila replaced six officials including the minister of mines, the Associated Press reports. Nkulu Kikulu, who formerly directed the state mining company, Gecamines, will replace Simon Tumawaku.

New heads of the police, transportation, telecommunications, land and public works ministries also were named. Kabila has recently fired several officials named in a United Nations (UN) report on the conflict diamond trade, but none of the six ministers just replaced were among the accused.