The TPLF, the former ruling party of Ethiopia from 1991 to 2018, is currently battling deep internal divisions that threaten regional stability and obstruct its efforts to recover.
After two years of fighting, displacement, and humanitarian crises, the population is already severely impacted by these tensions, which have reached a critical level.
The situation has gotten worse despite the Pretoria Peace Agreement being signed in November 2022 due to internal party disputes and unresolved issues surrounding the restoration of its legal status.
In recent weeks, the TPLF has become more divided, leading to a power struggle between two factions: Getachew Reda, the president of the Tigray interim administration, and Debretsion Gebremichael (PhD), the party’s chairperson.
There is now more internal conflict as each faction tries to undermine the legitimacy of the other. As a result, the region, which was already dealing with a humanitarian crisis, has seen millions of people displaced, continuous conflict, and restricted access to basic services further destabilize the situation. These splits have created a climate of uncertainty and fear and seriously impeded efforts to address these issues.
The people of Tigray are extremely worried about the possible consequences of this disagreement, despite the fact that some academics see the internal conflicts within the TPLF as a common element in the political history of the TPLF.
Speaking anonymously, a resident of Tigray’s capital city of Mekelle regretted the leadership’s disintegration following the catastrophic events that befell the area.
“But in the event that the leadership is unable to settle their differences amicably, we are still optimistic that the security forces will uphold their neutrality and grant the populace the right to endorse any side,” he said.
Speaking anonymously to Ethiopian media, a different Mekelle resident expressed that the political leadership in Tigray is unaware that “their survival depends on resolving their differences peacefully.”
He underlined, “The TPLF is currently at a critical juncture.”
“The people of Tigray will unavoidably find themselves in a dire situation if a consensus cannot be reached.”