The cabinet of Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila has resigned, allowing the recently re-elected president a chance to form a new government.

Former information minister Lambert Mende told VOA Tuesday this is standard procedure.

“It is stated in a provision of the constitution that, after a general election, the executive must resign to allow the head of state to make up the new government. So we presented our resignations to the head of state, he accepted it, and has asked some of us who have no mandate in the national assembly [to run] the current affairs until we'll find the new government very soon.”

Mende says there is no specific timeline for appointing the new officials. Mr. Kabila's choices will have to be approved by the parliament, where his party holds a majority.

President Kabila was re-inaugurated in December, after presidential and parliamentary votes international observers criticized strongly as having many irregularities, during voting and counting. His challenger, Etienne Tshisekedi, claims he was the rightful winner of the vote.

Mende acknowledges the election had created some strife, but says it is being resolved through the courts.

“We think that the Congo is recovering its stability for quite a long time now and we don't see that stability is under threat. We are having some quarrels and disputes about electoral process, but we are settling these quarrels within the judiciary — with the Supreme Court busy studying the problems that occurred during the election.”

The presidential and legislative polls were only the second free elections in Congo since it was torn apart by several years of warfare that ended in 2003.

In a report last month, the Carter Center said disorganization during and after the elections may make it impossible for Congo's election commission to produce “a faithful record of the will of the people.”

The Carter Center says many Congolese do not view the election commission and Supreme Court as trustworthy.