By Saliou Samb
CONAKRY (Reuters) - Guinean President Lansana Conte hasdrafted allies into an enlarged cabinet to strengthen hiscontrol over the world's top bauxite exporter after bloody armyand police mutinies.
At least 22 people have been killed in recent weeks asyoung soldiers and police officers have taken advantage of apower vacuum to stage pay mutinies in the West African country.
Conte summarily dismissed former Prime Minister LansanaKouyate, a union-approved appointee, on May 20.
The president's choice of a new cabinet, announced by statetelevision late on Thursday, replaced the majority of Kouyate'sministers and brought in allies of Conte and new Prime MinisterAhmed Tidiane Souare. Souare, a ruling party stalwart, wasappointed by Conte when he sacked Kouyate.
Reformist Saidou Diallo lost his job as minister ofeconomic and financial control, a key post in the team Kouyatehad formed after a crippling general strike last year in whichover 130 people were killed, mostly shot by Conte's securityservices.
Diallo's audit of the finances of previous governments waswidely seen as a factor in Kouyate's dismissal. Local mediahave said the audit accused powerful Conte allies of embezzlingover 400 million euros (316 million pounds) in less than twoyears.
The 36-strong new cabinet, expanded from 22 members, leftthe key finance and mines ministry posts unchanged. Guineamines 12 percent of the world's bauxite, the ore from whichaluminium is made, and has a third of known reserves.
Interior and Security Minister Mamadou Beau Keita wasfired.
A presidency official said Keita's sacking was the resultof this week's mutiny by police, bloodily suppressed by thearmy, and the deportation last year of Franco-Guineanbusinesswoman Chantale Cole, a Conte ally, for insultingKouyate.
For the first time in more than a decade a civilian, AlmamyKabele Camara, was named as defence minister.
The previous defence minister, Mamadou Bailo Diallo, wassacked on May 27 to appease disgruntled soldiers who took overarmy camps across the country in a pay mutiny, shooting theirguns in the air. Falling bullets killed at least six civilians.
MUTED RESPONSE
Souare's appointment last month drew mixed reactions fromthe country's influential unions whose strike last year forcedConte to appoint Kouyate to a strengthened premiership withadditional powers to hire and fire ministers.
Some union leaders had threatened to call another strikeafter Souare's nomination, but their response was muted partlybecause union chiefs had already become disillusioned with whatthey saw as a lack of real change in the impoverished country.
Forceful opposition to the new government appeared evenless likely as the new cabinet kept two union representativesappointed by Kouyate.
Moderate opposition parties were also brought intogovernment, though not Conte's radical opponents.
It was unclear to what extent Souare had retained theenhanced prime ministerial powers enjoyed by Kouyate.
"The head of state has accepted the governmentrestructuring I proposed. Today, in perfect agreement with him... I have called for the formation of a government," Souaresaid on state television. An announcer then read the list ofministers.
New faces included Youssouf Diallo as minister for smallbusinesses. Diallo is an aide to Mamadou Sylla, Guinea'srichest businessman and honorary president of Conte's rulingparty.
(For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say onthe top issues, visit: http://africa.reuters.com)
(Writing by Alistair Thomson; Editing by Pascal Fletcher)
