Tanzania's re-elected leader keeps finance minister Mpango in new govt

Tanzania's re-elected President John Magufuli has re-appointed Philip Mpango as finance minister, the president's spokesman said in a statement on Friday.

Magufuli won re-election last month with a landslide 84% of the vote, although the opposition rejected the result, alleging various irregularities. In the statement, Gerson Msigwa, the director of presidential communications said the president had also re-appointed Palamagamba Kabudi as minister of foreign affairs.

As finance minister since 2015, Mpango has helped the president push through his industrialisation drive and implementation of big infrastructure projects including roads and energy projects. Magufuli's choice to retain him is widely seen as a desire for continuity of policy which has helped the country achieve an average growth rate of 6.9% over the last five years and propelled the country to middle income status.

Mpango also has been widely praised for helping boost the east African country's revenue collections, which officials say is vital for Tanzania to achieve full domestic financing of its budget. (Writing by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Kim Coghill)