Kabila reshuffles Democratic Congo government

KINSHASA, Congo (Reuters) -- President Laurent Kabila has made a raft of changes to his government in Democratic Republic of Congo, appointing new finance, foreign and oil ministers in his second reshuffle in three months, state television reported.

The appointments, announced late on Monday, appeared to complete an administrative restructure Kabila began with a minor reshuffle in early September.

Jean Amisi Kalondaya, previously vice minister of economy and finance, was promoted to finance minister, replacing Mawampanga Mwana Nanga, who is perceived by many Congolese as responsible for monetary policies contributing to economic collapse since Kabila ousted dictator Mobutu Sese Seko in 1997.

Mawampanga, a trained agronomist, was given the new ministry of fisheries and cattle-raising.

Kabila also replaced fiery and controversial foreign minister Yerodia Abdoulaye Ndombasi, appointing former Human Rights Minister Leonard She Okitundu to the post.

Yerodia's position had become increasingly difficult since a Belgian judge issued a warrant for his arrest in July over comments made in 1998 referring to Tutsi-led rebels as vermin.

The case, brought by refugees who said the comments incited ethnic hatred, prompted the Congolese government to recall its ambassador from former colonial power Belgium.

Yerodia, who retains his status as minister of state and takes over the national education portfolio, told journalists on Tuesday that he did not regard his new role as a demotion.

"I would even be a cook at a bush outpost of the Congolese army," Yerodia, a former university professor in France, told a news conference. "I was not removed. I feel neither diminished nor elevated. I was not born the foreign minister."

Kabila also replaced his close ally and powerful minister of state for oil, Pierre Victor Mpoyo, after months of fuel shortages and a diplomatic spat over the handling of oil stocks belonging to neighboring Central African Republic.

Mpoyo is regarded as having close links to Angola, which backs Kabila in a two-year old war against rebels in north and eastern Congo, remains minister of state without portfolio.

Former Environment Minister Anatole Bishikwabo moves to oil.

Kabila, who himself holds the defense portfolio, appointed his former security adviser Godefroid Tchamlesso as defense minister-delegate.

The new cabinet, which also includes a handful of other new ministers, is due to be sworn in on Wednesday.

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