Burundi's president appoints 5 new ministers

Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza appointed five new ministers on Monday night to complete the formation of government. The appointment was made in a presidential decree following the resignation of three ministers of the Union pour le Progres National (UPRONA) early this month. The five new faces include three ministers from the UPRONA led by Concilie Nibigira. They are Communal Development Minister Dieudonne Giteruzi, who replaces Victoire Ndikumana; Tharcisse Nkezabahizi, who chairs the Ministry for Telecommunications, Information, Communication and Relations with the Parliament in replacement of Leocadie Nihazi; and Marie Rose Nizigiyimana, who replaces Victoire Ndikumana to head the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Posts and Tourism. The two other portfolios went to Ernest Mberamiheto, who replaced Issa Ngendakumana as good governance and privatization minister; and Virginie Ciza in replacement of Deogratias Rurimunzu as the minister for transports, public works and equipment. The crisis inside the UPRONA at the end of January caused the dismissal of the East African country's First Vice-President Bernard Busokoza for failure to differentiate his assignments as the government official and as a leader of his party UPRONA. The crisis also led to the resignation of three ministers, who were against the fact that the UPRONA leadership was given to another leader other than MP Charles Nditije. The UPRONA is facing a stalemate where both Concilie Nibigira and Nditije claim the leadership of the UPRONA party.