E Guinea's whole cabinet fired
2006-08-11 13:33
Malabo - Oil-rich Equatorial Guinea's president fired his entire cabinet on national television after accusing the 51 departing ministers of corruption and incompetence.
Teodoro Obiang - who took power in a 1979 coup d'etat that toppled and killed his uncle - didn't name replacements during the programme aired late on Thursday on national television.
Obiang said the ministers "must recognise that this team hasn't functioned as it should have, especially these past few years.
"We can no longer permit these constant irregularities that the people denounce".
He was more blunt in a recent speech, accusing his ministers of corruption, incompetence and "ignorance".
Departing Prime Minister Abia Biteo wished good luck to the incoming administration, likely named within a week, saying "the goal is to produce a new spirit and dynamism with a new governmental team, for the well-being of the people".
Equatorial Guinea was Africa's third-largest oil producer, pumping 500 000 barrels a day, but most of the country's half-million people remained deeply impoverished.
Many Equato-Guineans complained of widespread corruption under Obiang. Presidential elections won by Obiang in 1996 and 2002 were widely viewed as flawed. The country gained independence from Spain in 1968.
- AP