PM Abiy Confirms Getachew’s Departure as Tigray Interim President with Call for Replacement

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has officially confirmed the departure of Getachew Reda from his position as the interim president of Tigray regional state…PM Abiy first hinted at a replacement during his address to parliament last week, and said that the mandate of the Tigray Interim Administration has recently expired, and will be extended for another year. “There may be changes” in its leadership. he told MPs. Getachew’s confirmed replacement in today’s announcement follows months of internal disagreements within the TPLF party. The leadership change is seen as a response to escalating divisions that came to a dramatic escalation this week. The TPLF’s internal rift, which surfaced after its 14th Congress in August last year, divided the party into factions led by Debretsion Gebremichael, TPLF’s chairman, and Getachew Reda. Debretsion’s group had previously announced the removal of Getachew and others from their roles, while the interim administration under Getachew repeatedly accused Debretsion’s faction of attempting to “destabilize” the region through a “coup d’état.”…Getachew Reda, who was appointed two years ago in March following the Pretoria peace agreement, has faced criticisms from within the TPLF over allegations of ineffective governance and perceived favoritism in administrative appointments. (Addis Standard)