 condemns Electoral Board decision. It says it violates Pretoria Agreement. Read more.){kind=link}
Getahun Tsegaye
Staff Reporter
ADDIS ABABA, May 15, 2025 — The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has issued a strongly worded letter to African Union officials, warning that the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia’s (NEBE) decision to revoke its political party status represents a serious threat to the fragile peace established under the Pretoria Agreement.
In a statement dated May 15, 2025, and addressed to Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, TPLF Chairman Dr. Debretsion Gebremikael expressed “urgent concern regarding the consequence of NEBE’s decision to the Pretoria Agreement.” The TPLF argues that the classification of the party as “illegal” violates the terms of the peace accord signed in November 2022, which ended a brutal two-year conflict in northern Ethiopia.
“The signing of the Pretoria Agreement marked the end of a devastating two-year genocidal war in Tigray,” the statement read. “Beyond the cessation of hostilities, the agreement was intended to serve as a cornerstone for sustainable peace by addressing the root causes of the conflict. However, there has been less than little meaningful progress in implementing its key provisions.”
The TPLF accused the Federal Government of Ethiopia (FGE) of “unilaterally reframing this inherently political issue as a mere legal and administrative matter,” thereby enabling NEBE to delist the party in violation of both the agreement and broader African Union peace protocols.
Citing Articles 3(c) & (d) and 10 of the Pretoria Agreement, as well as Articles 6(c) and 7(1)(a)-(d) of the AU’s Peace and Security Council (PSC) Protocol, the TPLF contends that these frameworks explicitly require mutual recognition of parties and empower the PSC to mediate disputes and uphold peace deals.
“The unilateral FGE’s decision denies the TPLF a right it had reclaimed through the Pretoria Agreement and poses a serious threat to the foundation of the peace process,” the statement added.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has urgently called for immediate intervention by the African Union (AU) in light of a developing dispute. Specifically, the TPLF has requested that an emergency session of the High-Level Panel on Ethiopia be convened to mediate the issue. This, they argue, is a necessary step to prevent escalation and ensure a peaceful resolution.
Additionally, the TPLF has urged the AU to place the matter on the agenda of its next Peace and Security Council meeting. The purpose of this would be to evaluate whether the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) is acting in compliance with the terms of the existing peace agreement.
Lastly, the TPLF has called on the AU to apply pressure on the Ethiopian government to suspend NEBE’s recent decision until the AU has had the opportunity to deliberate on the matter. According to the TPLF, this pause would allow for a fair and objective review and help uphold the integrity of the peace process.
The statement also emphasized that the TPLF had consistently pushed for “constructive political dialogue” under the framework of the peace agreement, accusing the federal government of refusing to engage and instead opting for “unilateral and administrative measures.”
The controversy follows NEBE’s official announcement on May 13, 2025, that the TPLF was being removed from the list of legally recognized political parties. NEBE cited “repeated noncompliance with electoral laws and directives” and invoked Proclamation 1332/2016 and Directive No. 25/2016 to justify its action.
NEBE’s statement claimed that the TPLF “refused to acknowledge the legitimacy” of its prior legal reinstatement in August 2024 and ignored repeated warnings. The Board alleged that the party failed to meet the administrative and legal conditions tied to its re-registration, ultimately prompting the cancellation.
“Due to the party’s persistent failure to fulfill the terms of its recognition, we have decided to remove the TPLF from the list of political parties effective May 13, 2025,” the NEBE declared.
This latest escalation comes after a protracted legal and political dispute over the TPLF’s status following the 2022 peace deal. The party was initially delisted under Proclamation 1162/2011 in the wake of the war, accused of involvement in violent acts. Following the signing of the Pretoria Agreement, the TPLF sought reinstatement, arguing that its political inclusion was essential for durable peace.
Despite a supportive letter from the Ministry of Justice and eventual reinstatement by NEBE in 2024 under “special circumstances,” relations quickly deteriorated. NEBE maintains that the TPLF failed to comply with regulatory expectations, while the TPLF asserts the delisting is politically motivated and undermines the terms of the peace agreement.
This move will spark renewed political tensions, with the TPLF still regarded by many as a critical stakeholder in the ongoing implementation of the Pretoria Agreement.
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I just got a buzz from my longtime homeboy Debre and O’boy, was he so irate! He told me he was so patient with those Amharas and Oromos for too long hoping they would change their ways. But now, he told me, his patience has run out. He just received brand new armored tanks, the Naqfa115/Isu from my other long time homeboys Yemane and Isu that can travel at 425Mph per hour on all terrains. He told me his soldiers took them less than 2 hours to reach the outskirts of Addis/Finfine. Abiy has cut and run scared like a rabbit to Minnesota and Toronto. Jula he fled to his place of birth, Rwanda.
Ethiopia, with your Amharas and Oromos, you’re toast! These two don’t know how to fight anyway. Bye, bye!!!!
It is time for action, not words or statements. The decision of the government to outlaw the TPLF is in violation of the sovereignty of Tigray and has crossed the red line. Tigrayans are angry and demanding action not words. Tigray should officially declare the death of the Petoria agreement and resume its miliatray operations against the government of Abiy Ahmed. The government is very weak and vullnerable because it has lost its Amhara and Eritrea allies and the TDF can topple it with minimum costs and high speed.
1). ህሕወሐት በመቀሌ 17 ቦታዎች መሳሪያ ቀብሯል:- [ youtu.be/nDZP9d8n_tk?t=38 ]
2). TPLF is Barbarism! Barbarism should never be rewarded! These Barbarians should stand trial for Northern Command Ethiopian Army Massacre (in their sleep), Amara massacre in Amara Zone, MayKadra Amara genocide, war crimes (rape, torture, …), armed robbery (bank, armory,…), smuggling (gold, arms, …), property destruction (schools, hospitals, factories, …), arson (farms, businesses, …), human trafficking of Eritreans in to Ethiopia, etc.