Congo President Appoints Son as a Minister in the New Government
According to a statement read on public television, Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso has chosen his son in the new government as well as an opposition leader.
Gathogo Wanjiru 
Sassou Nguesso easily won a fifth term in a March election when his main opponent died of Covid-19 on polling day.
In an official statement released on Saturday night, the incoming government will have 36 members including four ministers and eight women.
The President's son will be heading the newly-created ministry of international cooperation and public-private partnerships.
The President's son Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso is however facing embezzlement charges of several million dollars from the publicly-owned National Society of Petroleum of Congo.
Investigations are underway in France following the filing of a complaint by Transparency International, and surveys on how he acquired his assets are also being carried out in the United States.
The ruling Congolese Labour Party (PCT) and even in several other political parties, many believe the President's son is preparing to succeed him as the President.
However, Denis Christel has ignored the allegations, saying that "before being the son of the President, I am first of all a Congolese citizen".
