borkena
April 19,2019
Abiy Ahmed has picked Lemma Megersa to lead the Ministry of Defense. And the Ethiopian parliament approved the appointment on Thursday.
Critical voices in social media seem to see Lemma’s appointment to a Federal government key position as Oromo Democratic Party’s (that is Abiy Ahmed’s party) move to take domination of the Federal government to a new level.
With the controversy on the status of Addis Ababa and Lemma’s alleged intention to change the demography of the city to make ethnic Oromo dominant, which he denied, there is skepticism that Lemma Megersa could have the intention to change the composition of the defense force in favor of his ethnic group which is the support base of his political party.
As president of Oromo regional state, Lemma Megersa raised tens of thousands of militia forces.
In any case, Oromo regional state organized a send of party, in Adama, the same day he was sworn in as Defense Minister. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his deputy, Demeke Mekonnen, and other high ranking government officials have attended the farewell party in Adama.
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