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KIGALI, April 8 (AFP) - Rwanda's five main political parties have
agreed on a share-out of posts in a coalition government to be headed
by an opposition prime minister, officials said here Wednesday.
President Juvenal Habyarimana's formerly sole, ruling MRND will take
nine portfolios, including defence, the interior and planning, while 11
others will go to the opposition.
Major-General Habyarimana appointed Dismas Nsengiyaremye, a leader of
the opposition Republican Democratic Movement (MDR), premier last
Thursday, in place of the MRND's unpopular Sylvestre Nsanzimana.
Though an agreement on the allocation of portfolios was signed late
Tuesday, none of the new ministers have been named.
The National Republican Movement for Development and Democracy (MRND)
will be responsible for defence, the interior and communal development,
planning, youth, the civil service, health, transport and
communications, higher education and scientific research and culture,
and the new ministry of the family and women's affairs.
Apart from the prime ministerial post, the MDR was given the ministries
of foreign affairs and cooperation, information, and primary and
secondary education.
The Social Democrat Party (PSD) will handle agriculture and
stockbreeding, finance, energy, and public works.
The Liberal Party was given charge of the justice, labour and social
affairs, and industry, trade, mining and crafts portfolios.
A new environment and tourism ministry was allocated to the Christian
Democrat Party (PDC).
The small, densely populated mountain nation in east central Africa has
been riven with strife between the majority Hutus and Tutsi people
throughout its history.
The Rwandan Red Cross reported Wednesday that almost 7,000 Tutsis have
still not returned to their homes in the southeastern Bugesera region
after massacres carried out by Hutus in the Kanzenze, Gashora and
Ngenda districts early in March.
more AFP AFP SEQN-0209
