Kibaki announces half new cabinet amid crisis
NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki announced part of his new cabinet on Tuesday, including Amos Kimunya as finance minister, amid a political crisis that has cost nearly 500 lives.
"I have considered the importance of keeping the country united, peaceful and prosperous under a strong, broad-based leadership," Kibaki said in a televised address to the nation.
Kimunya, a 45-year-old accountant, has been Kibaki's finance minister since February 2006.
His biggest challenge will be to push government spending proposals through parliament, where Kibaki's Party of National Unity is in a minority after a December 27 election.
Twenty of Kibaki's ministers lost their seats in the parliamentary poll, held the same day as a presidential ballot which the opposition says Kibaki rigged.
The disputed presidential result unleashed more than a week of chaos and violence.
Among the ministers Kibaki named on Tuesday was Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, who ran against Kibaki for president and came a distant third behind Kibaki and his main rival Raila Odinga.
He was appointed vice-president and home affairs minister.
A former vice-president, George Saitoti, was named minister of state for provincial administration and internal security.
(Writing by Daniel Wallis; Editing by Barry Moody)
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