20 Dec 2009

Karzai's new cabinet largely unchanged

1:28 pm on 20 December 2009

The new Afghan cabinet has been presented to Parliament, a month after President Hamid Karzai was sworn in promising to tackle widespread corruption.

The BBC reports that the list was read to a packed parliament amid boisterous scenes.

Two ministers accused of pocketing large sums of donor money have lost their jobs but a former warlord, Ismail Khan, who has been accused of human rights abuses and corruption, remains as minister of water and energy.

Correspondents say Mr Karzai has had to balance pressure from donor countries over corruption against the need to repay favours to those who got him re-elected.

A female member of Parliament, Shukria Paikan, says women are under-represented in Mr Karzai's selection. The only female nominee is for women's affairs.

Mr Karzai was last month declared the winner of the presidential election after a poll process marred by fraud.