Maybe after work with FreeBSD I become too spoilt, but I expect that packages from one distribution kit works among themselves well. But that I see:
Nothing like biting wit to start the morning.
$ rpm -qa | grep rpm
rpm-libs-4.3.13_nonptl rpm-python-4.3.13_nonptl rpm-4.3.13_nonptl rpm-build-4.3.13_nonptl
Seems I've got the same versions you do. Couple additional packages, but nothing major. [jperrin@www ~]$ rpm -qa | grep rpm rpm-libs-4.3.3-13_nonptl rpm-build-4.3.3-13_nonptl rpm-python-4.3.3-13_nonptl rpmdb-CentOS-4.3-0.20060314 redhat-rpm-config-8.0.32.1-1 rpm-4.3.3-13_nonptl rpm-devel-4.3.3-13_nonptl
$python
import rpm
ImportError /usr/lib/librpm-4.3.so: undefined symbol: rpm_execcon
Yep. That's an error alright. However it works fine here.
[jperrin@www ~]$ python Python 2.3.4 (#1, Mar 10 2006, 06:12:09) [GCC 3.4.5 20051201 (Red Hat 3.4.5-2)] on linux2 Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
import rpm
Now call me suspicious, but your python does not identify itself, and you don't seem to list the python version. Did you upgrade python?