Two former regional presidents, Gedu Andargachew and Lemma Megersa, who are dubbed as key players for the end of TPLF domination in the central government are appointed for Federal Ministerial positions. Lemma is now in charge of Defense while Gedu is appointed as Ethiopia’s foreign Affairs Minister.
Chief Justice administering Oath in the Ethiopian Parliament. Photo credit : EBCborkena
April 18,2019
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed administration picked Gedu Andargachew as foreign minister and Lemma Megersa as Defense Minister.
Aysha Mohammed, who has been serving in the role of Défense Minister, is now appointed to the role of Urban Development and Construction Minister.
They were appointed after the Ethiopian parliament approved it in its final year thirty forth session on Thursday.
Lemma Megersa, Abiy Ahmed’s former boss as he calls him, has been serving as president of Oromo region of Ethiopia – a region that has been under security crisis for most part of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration due to militant Oromo nationalists.
Oromo regional administration Council (it is called Chaffee Oromiyaa) held an emergency meeting on Thursday to replace Lemma Megersa as president of the regional state. And it has picked Shimeles Abdissa, close confidant of the Prime Minister who was working in the office of the prime minister, as president of the region.
Since Shimeles is not a member of Chaffee Oromiyaa, which is a requirement to be appointed as president of the region, Abiy Ahmed’s party (Oromo Democratic Party) exploited a loophole of naming him as “Deputy Head” of the regional administration. He will be serving in a capacity of president.
Gedu Andargachew was president of Amhara regional state until he was replaced by Ambachew Mekonnen earlier last month.
Kiros Sultan, former diplomat, appeared on state media, EBC, to remark on the appointments. He said that Gedu Andargachew could have been used for the role of Minister of Peace which is one of the most powerful ministerial portfolios in the Federal government.
Regarding Lemma Megersa’s appointment, he remarked that he is competent for the position, but he sounded that Lemma Megersa could have been more effective in dealing with security challenges in Oromia regional state.
Newly appointed ministers have taken oath before the Ethiopian Parliament ; chief justice Meaza Ashenafi presided over the swearing in ceremony.
The ministry of Foreign Affairs has been vacant for more than a month now after Workneh Gebeyehu left to accept “appointment” within the United Nations.
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TPLF killed two prominent leaders of the Gambella People’s Liberation Front and took control of the Gambella People Liberation Front military Camp in Gambella, Ethiopia.
Few years ago until the change of (TEAM LEMMA) won and Abiy Ahmed started leading the country, the Gambella People’s Liberation Front had many military camps in Gambella that operated to drive out TPLF land grabbers such as Azeb Mesfin out of Gambella.
TPLF used the opportunity now at the time when one Defence Minister Aisha was being demoted and when one Ato Lemma Megersa was being promoted as the new Defence Minister of Ethiopia, TPLF used the opportunity to take it’s revenge against the Gambella People’s Liberation Front by killing two of it’s prominent leaders of the organization.