Gulf | Bahrain
Controversial minister stripped of portfolio
King Hamad on Wednesday appointed a new municipality and agriculture minister who replaces Mansour Bin Rajab at the centre of a bitter standoff with Islamist MPs.
- By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
- Published: 00:13 October 9, 2008
Manama: King Hamad on Wednesday appointed a new municipality and agriculture minister who replaces Mansour Bin Rajab at the centre of a bitter standoff with Islamist MPs.
Juma Ahmad Al Ka'abi, the former under-secretary of the ministry, is now the minister, while Bin Rajab was named a state minister without portfolio, according to the Bahrain News Agency.
The limited Cabinet reshuffle puts an end to weeks of intense rumours in which people used the long Ramadan evenings to discuss about politics, government, appointing ministers of social development, information, health, education and labour.
The reshuffle comes ten days before the parliament is set to resume following a long summer recess.
Bin Rajab had been accused by nine MPs of financial, administrative and constitutional irregularities and of causing a refuse crisis in the Northern, Central and Southern Governorates, but was cleared by a parliamentary committee in May.
Islamist MPs have threatened to quiz him in the upcoming parliament sessions for alleged irregularities in the awarding of a contract to a French cleaning company.
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