Unclear as to why Gedu Andargachew resigned as president of Amhara region. He charted accomplishments under his administration and existing challenges in a farewell speech.
borkena
March 8,2019
Gedu Adargachew tendered resignation to his party, Amhara Democratic Party (ADP) and the party has accepted it and requested the region’s council to make changes to the office of the region’s head administration, reported Amhara Mass Media Agency (AMMA) today.
It is unclear as to what led to the resignation of Gedu Andargachew at this time. The regional council has been holding its congress for the last three days.
He has been leading the region as president for the past five years. In his farewell speech to Amhara Regional Council, he said:
“I thank my party for providing me with the opportunity to lead the great Amhara people. If there are those of you whom I have wronged during my tenure, accept my heartfelt apology. I would like to thank Amhara people; has been my courage and strength. And I wish productive years for the new president of the region.”
The former, now, president highlighted economic and social developments achieved during his leadership including the construction of 200 elementary schools in the region and measures taken to redress under developed infrastructure in the region.
Gedu Andargachew also emphasized in his speech about the relation between Tigray and Amhara people. Noting the multifaceted relations between them and the roles they played in building the country, and special relations on grounds of culture, faith and history, among other things, he pointed out that the relation is now eroded, and people are made to see each other with suspicion.
That happened, he said, due to deep rooted anti-Amhara leadership in the region which had also been working hard on propaganda to create suspicion towards Amhara even in other parts of the country by creating an image that Amhara people were special beneficiaries of previous governments.
He also talked about the relation between Oromo and Amhara people. “I have a strong conviction that fostering the relation between Amhara and Oromo people should be seen as a burning political agenda of the time,” he added. He said that the two people are highly intermingled and have developed common values over the years. For him, the alliance between the two people is the key to democratic and stable Ethiopia.
Gedu also noted the importance of fostering relations with other Ethiopians as well.
Although he is not playing the role of Amhara regional president, he affirmed that he will stand firm in supporting the ongoing change and stand for the right and interest of Amhara people.
Ambachew Mekonnen, who has been working as infrastructure adviser to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, is named as president of the region after the party presented him as candidate.
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