Ethiopia's lower House of People's Representatives (HPR) on Tuesday approved the appointment of 20 cabinet members nominated by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

The number of ministries has now been raised from 17 to 20, as the ministries of work and urban development, culture and tourism and women's affairs have been set up, according to a statement from the Office of Prime Minister.

The statement said the HPR approved the cabinet with 364 votes, 57 objections and six abstentions.

It said the HPR also endorsed a proposal stripping off legal immunity of the newly elected members of parliament who have not yet sworn in and extend the administration of the Addis Ababa City by the existing provisional administration.

On Monday, the lower house of parliament opened for the first time since the May 15 parliamentary elections and re-elected Melesas prime minister for a third five-year term.

The final election results indicate that Meles-led Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Party (EPRDF), which has ruled the country for the past 14 years, has won 327 seats of the 547-seat lower house of parliament, enough to form the federal government.

Ethiopians went to poll on May 15 in the country's two separate elections to elect representatives to the House of People's Representatives and regional councils.

(Xinhua News Agency October 12, 2005)