The office of the region’s press secretary has announced that Alemitu Umud has been appointed by the Gambella Regional Council to take over as head of the Gambella Regional Administration. Umud Ujulu previously held the position for more than six years.
Today’s urgent council meeting saw the appointment authorized.
Alemitu most recently held the position of state minister for the Federal Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, according to the regional press secretariat office. She had previously held the position of Head of the Women’s and Children’s Affairs Bureau in the Gambella area.
Alemitu was chosen by the council based in part on her demonstrated ability and excellent leadership. It also mentioned the reasons for the leadership change as the continued difficulties in peace, security, and development in the region.
The departing leader, Umud Ujulu, is allegedly taking on a new position inside the party.
Tenkuwey Jok was replaced as the deputy head of the regional administration by Dr. Gatluak Ruon, who was elected in the same assembly.
Gatluak has held positions as advisor to the federal minister of water and energy as well as head of the Gambella Region Education Bureau.
A increasing public outcry for Umud Ujulu to resign as the head of the Gambella Regional Administration due to an increase in violence in the area prompted the shift in leadership.
Over the past year, the region has seen a number of deadly clashes and security crises, which has placed pressure on the regional leadership.
One of the most recent assaults happened in April 2024 when two public buses close to Gambella City were attacked with weapons, resulting in 23 injuries and three fatalities.
This followed unrest in Gambella City and Itang Special District in May 2023 that left 17 people injured and nine people dead.
According to a study published by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, since May 2023, there have been unfortunately ongoing conflicts and attacks on refugees in Gambella, which have left 138 people dead and 113 injured.
The Gambella regional government had earlier hired eight new officials, including Bagwal Jok as the Head of the Peace and Security Administration Bureau and Cham Ubong as the Head of the Justice Bureau, in an attempt to solve the security issue.
