President makes minor changes to cabinet

Burundian President Domitien Ndayizeye, who was sworn in recently to lead the second phase of a three-year transition period, reshuffled his cabinet on Monday, retaining all the ministers who served under former President Pierre Buyoya and naming three new faces from three pro-Hutu rebel groups. The new additions to the cabinet are Gaspard Kobako, a senior member of the Conseil national pour la defense de la democratie-Force pour la defense de la democratie (CNDD-FDD) faction led by Jean Bosco Ndayikengurukiye, who was appointed minister for public works and equipment; Cyrille Hicintuka, from the Forces nationales de liberation (FNL-PALIPEHUTU) faction led by Alain Mugabarabona, minister for civil service; and Rodolphe Baranyizigiye, from the Front pour la liberation nationle (FROLINA) rebel group led by Joseph Karumba, who was appointed minister for youth, sports and culture. Ndayizeye, a Hutu, and his deputy Alphonse Kadege, who is Tutsi, were sworn in on Wednesday, in accordance with the Arusha agreement signed in 2000 for peace and reconciliation in Burundi. They will lead the second 18-month phase of the three-year transition period that was brokered in Arusha, Tanzania, by former South African President Nelson Mandela. Under the accord, Buyoya, a Tutsi, led the first 18-month phase with Ndayizeye as his deputy. The rebel factions led by Ndayikengurukiye and Mugabarabona have signed ceasefire agreements with the government while the larger CNDD-FDD faction led by Pierre Nkurunziza has not. FROLINA leader Karumba is still in exile in Tanzania while Ndayikengurukiye and Mugabarabona have returned to Burundi. Fighters loyal to Nkurunziza and those loyal to Agathon Rwasa, leader of the larger FNL rebel faction, continue to stage sporadic attacks against government forces and civilians in parts of the country.