Afghan House delivers blow to Karzai on cabinet

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KABUL, Jan 3 (AFP): Afghan President Hamid Karzai suffered a new blow to his authority with the rejection by parliament of most of his choices for cabinet, further prolonging political crisis in the war-ravaged country.
Of the 24 people Karzai put forward for the cabinet, only seven-won approval Saturday in a secret ballot of more than 200 lawmakers.
The rejections effectively leave Afghanistan without a fully functioning government, dragging out a political vacuum that has prevailed since an August presidential election, with ministries being run by junior bureaucrats who have little power and no coherent plan.
"It is a political setback," said the UN's special representative Kai Eide.
"It prolongs the situation without a functioning government, which has lasted since summer... and it's particularly worrying in a country in conflict where you have so many challenges and need to focus attention on urgent reform programmes," he told reporters.
Among those rejected were the only woman, undermining Karzai's pledge to bring more women into government, and a warlord whose pick as water and energy minister was seen as a reward for support at the August 20 election.
"At a time when Afghanistan needs strong government, I think most of the ministers who did not get through were perceived by parliament as not being strong enough representatives of the nation," said MP Shukria Barakzai.
Karzai has been attempting to rise above accusations that his government is corrupt, that he uses the international military to keep him in office and billions in foreign aid to enrich his cronies.
His cabinet list had been seen as an effort to balance obligations to his Western backers, including the United States, and his domestic supporters.
Karzai has long relied on warlords to prop up his administration, but aides said he recognised the need to appease the West to stay in power and bring some momentum to much-needed development.