The new Ethiopian cabinet has two ministers from Somali Region

[PasserBy]

Ethiopia PM Meles Zenawi names new cabinet

 

 

APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) Barely a day after his re-election to a fourth term as Ethiopian Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi has appointed his new cabinet with several major changes in the line up.

 

1. Foreign Minister and deputy Prime Minister - Hailemariam Desalegn

 

2. Minister of Defence - Siraj Fergesa

 

3. Federal Affairs Minister -Shiferaw Teklemariam

 

4. Minister of Justice -Birhan Hailu

 

5. Civil Service Minister - Junedin Sado (new ministry)

 

6. Ministry of Finance and Economic Development - Sofian Ahmed

 

7. Minister of Agriculture -Tefera Derbew (new ministry)

 

8. Minister of Industry -Mekonnen Manyazewal

 

9. Trade Minister -Abdurhaman Sheik Ahmed

 

10. Science and Technology Minister - Desse Delke

 

11. Minister of Transport - Diriba Kuma

 

12. Minister of Communication and Information Technology - Debretsion Gebremickael

 

13. Minister of Urban Construction -Mekuria Haile

 

14. Minister of Water and Energy - Alemayehu Tegenu

 

15. Minister of Mines - Sinkinesh Ejigu

 

16. Minister of Education -Demeke Mekonnen

 

17. Minister of Health -Tewodrose Adhanom

 

18. Minister of Labour and Social Affairs - Abdulfeta Abdul Ahmed

 

19. Minister of Culture and Tourism - Aman Abdulkedir

 

20. Minister of Women, Children and Youth Affair - Zenebu Taddesse

 

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi also re-appointed Bereket Simon as Minister for the Government Communication Affairs Office and Melaku Fente as General Manager for the Ethiopian Revenue and Customs Authority as well as Aster Mamo as government whip to the parliament.

 

The three officials are included in the cabinet.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

That's not bad

[PasserBy]

Not bad at all.

[General Duke]

^^Kindly breakdown the cabinet by Killings and Religion..

[PasserBy]

I will do my best though I may stumble some places.

 

1. Foreign Minister and deputy Prime Minister - Hailemariam Desalegn (South Kilil-Christian)

 

2. Minister of Defence - Siraj Fergesa(South Kilil-Christian)

 

3. Federal Affairs Minister -Shiferaw Teklemariam(South-Christian)

 

4. Minister of Justice -Birhan Hailu(Amhara-Christian)

 

5. Civil Service Minister - Junedin Sado (new ministry)(Oromo-Muslim?)

 

6. Ministry of Finance and Economic Development - Sofian Ahmed(Oromo-Muslim)

 

7. Minister of Agriculture -Tefera Derbew (new ministry)(Amhara-Christian)

 

8. Minister of Industry -Mekonnen Manyazewal(Amhara-Christian)

 

9. Trade Minister -Abdurhaman Sheik Ahmed(Somali-Muslim)

 

10. Science and Technology Minister - Desse Delke(Oromo?-Christian)

 

11. Minister of Transport - Diriba Kuma(Oromo-Christian)

 

12. Minister of Communication and Information Technology - Debretsion Gebremickael(Tigre-Christian)

 

13. Minister of Urban Construction -Mekuria Haile(Amhara-Christian)

 

14. Minister of Water and Energy - Alemayehu Tegenu(Oromo?-Christian)

 

15. Minister of Mines - Sinkinesh Ejigu(Amhara-Christian)

 

16. Minister of Education -Demeke Mekonnen(Amhara-Christian)

 

17. Minister of Health -Tewodrose Adhanom(Tigre-Christian)

 

18. Minister of Labour and Social Affairs - Abdulfeta Abdul Ahmed(Somali?-Muslim)

(between 18 and 19 I am not sure which one is from Afar and which is from Somali region)

19. Minister of Culture and Tourism - Aman Abdulkedir(Afar-Muslim)

 

20. Minister of Women, Children and Youth Affair - Zenebu Taddesse

 

21. Minister for the Government Communication Affairs Office-Bereket Simon (Amhara region born Eritrean-Christian)

 

22. General Manager for the Ethiopian Revenue and Customs Authority- Melaku Fente (Oromo-Christian)

 

23. government whip to the parliament- Aster Mamo(South-Christian)

[PasserBy]

20. Minister of Women, Children and Youth Affair - Zenebu Taddesse (South or Amhara-Christian)

[General Duke]

So if I am right 17 members of the Cabinet are Christian in a country with Muslim majority population?

[General Duke]

Thanks for the breakdown. Now another question why was Mesfin sacked?

[Som@li]

How many posts for Muslims?

[PasserBy]

Where did you get the idea that Muslims are the majority in Ethiopia? Though I do agree that there aren't as many Muslims as one would like to see. The biggest dispapointment is the number of women cabinet members. There is only one or perhaps two.

[General Duke]

^^^Now answer the second question about Ato Mesfin, what happen to the all powerful foreign Minister?

[PasserBy]

Mesfin wasn't sacked per se. As was advertised and agreed on by its members, the ruling party is in a transition process. It is sheading its old guards and brining in new blood.

[General Duke]

^^^So he was sacked but in a nice way , who else was purged from the "old guard" and who is the new FM Minister?

[PasserBy]

Many of the top TPLF/ANDM leaders, including Seyoum Mesfin, have retired. As I wrote, it was part of the process. It wasn't a shocker. Everybody in Ethiopia who follows politics knew Mesfin was on his way out. Abay Tsehaye, a veteran TPLF member and founder, who served as special security advisor to the Prime Minsister in the last cabinet, has also retired. The former deputy prime minister is gone. The former public works minister and one time mayor of Addis Ababa, Arkebe Equbai, is not part of the new cabinet either. These are but few of them that I can remember.

[The Zack]

The Somali region has the third largest number of population in the country and all they got is 2 ministers? That is Meles's democracy