afrol News, 3 February - Angola's President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos has named a new cabinet after the approval of the new constitution by legislature last month, the state-owned Angola press has said.

The cabinet includes many close political and military allies to President Dos Santos, who has ruled the country for more than three decades. The cabinet will take office on Friday when the new constitution takes effect.

Angola's new constitution replaces the prime minister with a vice-president and also allows Mr Dos Santos to prolong his 30-year rule in the oil-rich Southern African nation without a direct ballot.

Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos, prime minister from 2002 to 2008, has appointed as vice-president.

Mr Dias dos Santos has been a close associate of the president since Angola's war of liberation in the early 1970s. His new position has been seen as an indirect appointment for presidency if Mr Dos Santos retires or dies.

Manuel Helder Vieira Dias Jr. and Carlos Feijo, respectively heads of the military and civil staff, are both promoted as state ministers.

Finance Minister Severim de Morais has been replaced by Carlos Alberto Lopes. De Morais has been widely seen as a reformer after negotiating financial support from the International Monetary Fund in November.

The oil minister Jose Botelho de Vasconcelos, who is generally perceived as a competent technocrat, is keeping his job.

The terms of the new constitution means Angola is not likely to hold a national election until 2012.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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