Afghan MPs approve two new ministers for Karzai's cabinet
Source: Agencies |
January 17, 2010, Sunday
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THE Afghan parliament approved both the foreign and justice minister nominees yesterday in the first round of voting for President Hamid Karzai's second slate of cabinet picks.
But it rejected a third and was expected to vote down more.
A key lawmaker said he expected the majority of Karzai's nominees to not be approved, delivering a blow to his authority at a critical time for his country.
In an embarrassing development, it also emerged yesterday that the nominee for the ministry of rural development was underage, a government official said.
The candidate was 31 years old while under the constitution the minimum age is 34.
More than two months after being re-elected in an August poll marred by widespread fraud, Karzai has been under intense pressure from his Western backers, and frustrated Afghans, to choose ministers deemed clean and competent.
More than two-thirds of Karzai's first list was rejected by parliament early this month. He will have to go back to the drawing board to replace those from his second list who are rejected and risks going to a London conference on January 28 without a full government.
"I am sitting with at least 25 members of parliament right now and we are talking about the cabinet," said Daoud Sultanzoy, MP for eastern Ghazni Province.
"Our expectation is that we will see maybe five or six at most who will pass. Maybe not even that."
The first to face a vote, and most senior, was Zalmay Rasul, a former Karzai security advisor who was approved as foreign minister. The justice minister was also approved, but less senior positions appeared to be vulnerable.
A large number of rejections from the second list will again throw Afghan politics into turmoil at a time when the insurgency is worsening and record numbers of foreign troops and civilians have been killed.
Sultanzoy said many of the candidates could be rejected because they presented weak programs or seemed only interested in personal gain.
Among the most promising on the new list were a record three women candidates.
Seven key ministers, including those for the defence, finance and interior portfolios, were approved at the beginning of the month.
But it rejected a third and was expected to vote down more.
A key lawmaker said he expected the majority of Karzai's nominees to not be approved, delivering a blow to his authority at a critical time for his country.
In an embarrassing development, it also emerged yesterday that the nominee for the ministry of rural development was underage, a government official said.
The candidate was 31 years old while under the constitution the minimum age is 34.
More than two months after being re-elected in an August poll marred by widespread fraud, Karzai has been under intense pressure from his Western backers, and frustrated Afghans, to choose ministers deemed clean and competent.
More than two-thirds of Karzai's first list was rejected by parliament early this month. He will have to go back to the drawing board to replace those from his second list who are rejected and risks going to a London conference on January 28 without a full government.
"I am sitting with at least 25 members of parliament right now and we are talking about the cabinet," said Daoud Sultanzoy, MP for eastern Ghazni Province.
"Our expectation is that we will see maybe five or six at most who will pass. Maybe not even that."
The first to face a vote, and most senior, was Zalmay Rasul, a former Karzai security advisor who was approved as foreign minister. The justice minister was also approved, but less senior positions appeared to be vulnerable.
A large number of rejections from the second list will again throw Afghan politics into turmoil at a time when the insurgency is worsening and record numbers of foreign troops and civilians have been killed.
Sultanzoy said many of the candidates could be rejected because they presented weak programs or seemed only interested in personal gain.
Among the most promising on the new list were a record three women candidates.
Seven key ministers, including those for the defence, finance and interior portfolios, were approved at the beginning of the month.
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