Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, through his office, has just confirmed the exit of Getachew Reda as the interim president of Tigray and has called for nominations to fill the vacuum.
He stated today that the nation’s charter provides for the provision of an interim administration in the regional states of the country by the federal government at a time when the supreme law of the country is challenged by the authors of the trouble-causing articles in the federation.
Getachew’s leave is due to the internal divisions within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which have been existing for quite some time and have been critical as of late mostly.
The party has been divided between the factions of Getachew and Debretsion Gebremichael, the former TPLF chairman.
However, the gap has widened more when Getachew suspended three senior military commanders, a decision that was not accepted by the regional peace and security bureau.
In the midst of the conflict, Getachew remained in Addis Ababa for almost three weeks and finally, he appealed to the federal government for support which, however, met the disapproval of Debretsion’s faction.
The TPLF warned that any external interference could undermine the Pretoria Peace Agreement, which ended the two-year war in northern Ethiopia.
According Addis Standard, despite speculation that Lt. Gen. Tadesse Werede, a key military figure and Getachew’s deputy, would replace him, no official successor has been announced.
Meanwhile, Debretsion’s supporters have taken control of key institutions, including Mekelle’s FM 104.4 radio station and city administration offices in Adigrat.
Tadesse has downplayed fears of renewed conflict, stating that security concerns are “unfounded” and assuring that internal disputes will not lead to further instability.
However, Getachew’s removal signals a major shift in Tigray’s leadership as the region navigates post-war recovery.
Pretoria Peace Agreement, which ended the two-year war in northern Ethiopia. The TPLF (Tigray People’s Liberation Front) alerted that any external presence would be a danger for the Pretoria Peace Agreement that had helped end the war in the north of that country, says the local media.
However, in reality, no formal declaration of a replacement, Dr. Getachew was made. The transitional President of Tigray is believed to be Tadesse Werede, who is not only one of the most active military leaders of TPLF but also serves as the deputy of Getachew.
Debretsion’s supporters are now in control of a number of important places, including the 104.4 FM radio station of Mekelle and the administrative offices of Adigrat. The newspapers noted the developments as the situation in Tigray remained unpredictable.
Local and international actors alike are anxiously following the case of Tigray claiming that there is a lack of order following elections and that the political crisis remains unresolved.