President Tandja Realigns Cabinet; Six Seats Affected,

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SOCI PHUM NG
SUBJECT: President Tandja Realigns Cabinet; Six Seats Affected,
Minister of Justice a Key Change

Ref: a) Niamey 00341 b) 08 Niamey 00960

NIAMEY 00000357 001.2 OF 002



1. (SBU) On May 14, President Tandja replaced six cabinet ministers
in what is regarded as a preparatory move to a constitutional
referendum designed to lift presidential term limits. Although some
of the replacements appear designed to sideline members of parties
critical of the referendum, others seem designed to punish others
for various offenses. This includes Minister of Justice Mamadou,
who appears to have lost his portfolio due to his integrity and
unwillingness to yield to executive branch pressure to sway
sensitive cases. Regrettably, his replacement, Garba Lompo, is
pliant and pro-Tandja, and holds little promise for improving the
performance of Niger's judicial branch. End summary.

Three Ministers Replaced and Three Reassigned
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2. (U) On May 14, President Tandja ("upon the proposals of the prime
minister and head of government") made several changes to the
31-member cabinet, as announced by Secretary General of the
Government Larouana Ibrahim:


A. Minister of Justice - Mr. Garba Lompo replaces Mr. Dagra Mamadou,
who moves to become Minister of Professional and Technical
Training;


B. Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation - Col. Issa Mazou,
current Inspector General of the Nigerien Armed Forces, replaces
Amadou Nouhou;


C. Minister of Professional and Technical Training - Mr. Dagra
Mamadou replaces Ms Maizama Hadiza, who moves to become Minister of
Promotion of Young Entrepreneurs and Promotion of Public
Enterprises;


D. Minister of Promotion of Young Entrepreneurs and Promotion of
Public Enterprises - Ms Maidama Hadiza replaces Mr. Salou Gobi, who
moves to become Minister of Youth and Sports;


E. Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts - Ms Sani Morou Fatouma
replaces Ms Amadou Aissa Siddo; and


F. Minister of Youth and Sports - Mr. Salou Gobi replaces Mr.
Abdoulrahamane Seydou.

Comment
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3. (SBU) The change at the Ministry of Justice is by far the most
important, with the incumbent being demoted to a lesser cabinet
chair and his replacement being an unimpressive retread. Garba
Lompo served two terms as president of the National Commission of
Human Rights and Fundamental Liberties, wherein his service in
office was marked by minimal GON progress on the human rights front,
and a setback when he had the president of anti-slavery NGO Timidria
detained for three months in the aftermath of a planned, and at the
last minute GON-cancelled, symbolic freeing of more than 7,000
slaves scheduled to occur in Tillaberi region in 2005.


4. (SBU) Speculation is rife regarding the removals, which suggest
the preparation of a pro-Tandja, pro-"tazartche" (Note: Hausa for
"let it continue." End note.) cabinet and which may be followed by
further changes in personnel in the wake of President Tandja's
decision to hold a constitutional referendum (Ref A). Minister of
Justice Mamadou may have lost his seat due to his integrity and
independence, wherein he has resisted executive branch pressure to
influence some high-profile and sensitive legal cases. Minister of
Transport and Civil Aviation Nouhou may have lost his position due
to the poorly managed Hajj in 2008. Furthermore, both Minister of
Transport and Civil Aviation Nouhou and Minister of Tourism and
Handicrafts Siddo, both members of the Nigerien Alliance for
Democracy and Progress (ANDP) may have lost their positions due to
the party's May 9 announcement criticizing President Tandja's move
to launch a constitutional referendum to lift presidential term
limits. Finally, Minister of Youth and Sports Seydou may have lost
his job due to Niger's disqualification in March 2009 from the Cup
of African Nations under-17 soccer tournament in Algiers based on
charges of altering one of its player's age, and/or due to his
challenging the candidacy of a party incumbent for office in a Rally
for Democracy and Progress (RDP) convention in early 2009.


5. (U) Previous changes of the cabinet during the past year have

NIAMEY 00000357 002.2 OF 002


included the appointment of Amadou Nouhou as Minister of Transport
and Civil Aviation in September 2008, replacing Kindo Hamani (Ref
B),and Issoufou Bako as Minister of Environment and the Fight
against Desertification in January 2009, replacing Mohamed Akotey.
Under Niger's constitution, the prime minister proposes, the
president appoints, and the National Assembly approves ministers
from among the 113 members of the National Assembly. End comment.



6. (U) Minimize considered.

Allen