ESAT Special
January 26,2017
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ESAT Special takes a look on the four years of Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn ‘s four years in the office. If there is something that Hailemariam is popular for, it is his imbecile political behavior and appearance. Many observers seem to agree that his problem is not just communication problem. He is in fact clueless about the things he talks about.
Often times, he seems to focus,sometimes totally, on imitating thinking pattern,gestures and body languages of the late Meles Zenawi rather than thinking what he is talking about. For many, people it is even hard to comment on Hailemariam. He does not seem to have material for political leadership.
Hailemariam Desalegne became prime minister after ailing Meles Zenawi passed away. Conceivably, the death of Meles Zenawi left power vacuum within the ruling party. At the same time, it gave rise power struggle within the ruling party which is a coalition of four ethnic based parties. Hailemariam Desalegne was deputy prime minister at the time of the death of Meles Zenawi and there exists constitutional provision that stipulates deputy prime minister will be in charge of the office of the prime minister in the absence of the the prime minister.
When Hailemariam Desalegne took over the office of the prime minister after wranglings and internal struggles.But he was not given the office with all its powers and privileges. The ruling party came up with the idea of collective leadership and three other deputy prime ministers were assigned – which remarkably reduced the power of the prime minister.
For many Ethiopians, it is clear that Tigray People’s Liberation Front exercises political power from behind and Hailemariam Desalenge is a nominal figure with no power what so ever. He does not seem to have clarity on many local issues – as seen in many press conferences with local journalists. Overall, Hailemariam is not just a quintessential example of incompetent politician but also he does not seem to have any political material in his behavior. However, he contributed to ethno-chauvinist Tigray people’s Liberation Front by way of being a point of comparison to glorify the ideology of the ruling party – which is Meles Zenawi.