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| Africa: Subsaharan |
| Congo's Kabila Suspends Six Ministers |
| 2004-11-25 |
| President Laurent Kabila suspended six cabinet ministers and 10 directors of state-run companies Thursday after a parliamentary inquiry alleged they had embezzled government funds. The crackdown targeted the ministers of mines, energy, transport and communications, higher education, public works and commerce, the presidency announced on state television. The parliament launched its inquiry after the government's accounting office issued a report in September denouncing suspected corruption in several government firms. The office had accused the directors of some state-run companies of paying themselves monthly salaries of up to $32,000 and expensing exorbitant private vacations. Since independence in 1960, top government officials have regularly been accused of stealing millions of dollars from the state treasury. Despite Congo's mineral wealth, Congo's near-60 million people have remained among the world's poorest. Corruption during the reign of late dictator Mobutu Sese Seko was so bad, critics described the impoverished nation a "kleptocracy." In October, the group Transparency International ranked Congo the 12th most corrupt nation in the world out of 145 countries. |
| Posted by:Fred |