“TPLF should declare a state of emergency only if it wants one result: the immediate overthrow of the regime!” – Jawar Mohammed
The Council of ministers is set to declare a state of emergency for three months as of this morning, a source close to the government told Addis Standard. The military will be in charge via a command post, which will be “reporting to the Prime Minister,” according to our source.
The move follows yesterday’s resignation of Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn both as Prime Minister, Chairman of EPRDF and his own party, the Southern Ethiopian People’s Democratic Movement (SEPDM).
Initially, there was a “strong push” against the decision from members of two of the parties that make up the EPRDF: the Oromo Peoples’ Democratic Organization (OPDO) and the Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM), the two parties that govern Oromia and Amhara regional states, according to our source.
However, “the state of emergency will be declared this morning as the security situation in the country is getting volatile,” said the source.
Details of parts of the civilian constitution to be suspended will be announced at the end of the ministerial council’s meeting, but it is likely to be not much different than the October 2016 nine-month state of emergency, which was extended by additional four months.
The “government will submit the decision to national parliament within the next 15 days,” our source said, adding the delay to table the decision to the parliament was because the parliament is currently in mid-term recess.
The state of emergency is to be declared amidst increasing power struggle, especially between the OPDO and ANDM, to replace the outgoing Prime Minister.
Ethiopia Declares National State of Emergency
BY BBC NEWS
A national state of emergency has been declared in Ethiopia just one day after the unexpected resignation of Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.
A statement by the state broadcaster said the move was necessary to stem a wave of anti-government protests.
Hundreds of people have died in three years of unrest in the country.
A 10-month state of emergency that ended last year failed to stop the protests, as did the release from jail of thousands of opposition supporters.
No details were given of how long the latest state of emergency will last or what the restrictions are.
The government has been under pressure because of continuing street protests.
In recent weeks it has released hundreds of prisoners including opposition politicians but the protests have shown no sign of ending.
On Thursday, Mr Desalegn said he had made his decision to stand down in the hope that it would help end the years of unrest and political upheaval.
The political demonstrations in Ethiopia began in Oromia in November 2015. Protests later sprung up in the Amhara region.
Oromia and Amhara are the homelands of the country’s two biggest ethnic groups.
Many people in these communities feel they have been kept out of power by smaller groups.
