Breaking News : – Ethiopia’s ruling coalition approves Abiye Ahmed as new PM

[Deeq A.]

Ahmed Abiye to succeed Hailemariam as the chairperson of the coalition, meaning he automatically became premier

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – Ethiopia’s ruling coalition voted in Abiye Ahmed as new prime minister on Tuesday following the resignation of Hailemariam Desalegn last month, the state-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation said.

The state-run channel said the 180-member council of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) chose Abiye to succeed Hailemariam as the chairperson of the coalition, meaning he automatically became premier.

“In today’s session, the council held a vote and elected Abiye Ahmed as chairperson,” said the presenter from the state-run EBC in the announcement. He did not give any further details.

According to the breaking news from Reuters
Abiy received 108 votes, Shiferaw Shigute 59 votes and Debretsion Gebremichael 2 votes.
Demeke Mekonen was not a candidate.

Ethiopian sources that are close to Ahmed told that he was born to a Muslim father and Christian mother. 

He comes from a military and intelligence background and ranked as high as colonel in the Ethiopian army. He was also a member of the peacekeeping force that was deployed in Rwanda.

Ahmed is fluent in English and three local Ethiopian languages. He completed a PhD in 2017 from Institute for Peace and Security Studies at Addis Ababa University. In 2016, he was appointed Minister of Science and Technology.

The ruling coalition has struggled to contain persistent and violent unrest since 2015, the biggest challenge to its hold on power since 1991.

Anti-government protests began in 2015 over land rights before broadening into demonstrations over political and human rights.

The government has twice imposed emergency rule, most recently last month after Hailemariam’s resignation, to contain unrest mainly in Oromiya province, the country’s most populous region.

Amid the violence, security forces have killed hundreds of people, rights groups say.