Resignation of Hailemariam Desalegn

In the face of widespread protests against the government, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn resigned from office on 15 February 2018, becoming the first politician to resign from office in modern Ethiopian history. The day prior, he announced on state television that his resignation is "vital in the bid to carry out reforms that would lead to sustainable peace and democracy," linked to the 2014–2016 unrest in Oromia Region, in which hundreds were killed by government crackdown in Oromia and Amhara Region in between 2015 and 2016.[1]

His resignation letter was submitted and accepted by the ruling party Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and the Southern Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement (SEPDM); the Ethiopian embassy in London also accepted likewise. Hailemariam continued to lead a caretaker government until his successor, Abiy Ahmed, was elected by Parliament on 2 April 2018. Other reasons for Hailemariam’s resignation, beyond the protests, have been suggested by analysts, including his belonging to a small minority group of Wolayta, a lack of support by the ruling party, and a perceived personal weakness.[2]

Resignation

On 14 February 2018, Hailemariam announced in a speech on state television that it was "vital in the bid to carry out reforms that would lead to sustainable peace and democracy". The following day, he resigned as both prime minister and chairman of the EPRDF.[3] Linked to this decision was the 2014–2016 unrest in Oromia Region, in which hundreds were killed by government crackdown in Oromia and Amhara Region in between 2015 and 2016.[1][4] It was the backdrop for a nationwide state of emergency that started in October 2016.[5][6] Hailemariam's resignation was also linked to political prisoners such as Eskinder Nega and Woubshet Taye who jailed for seven years in prison in 2015. In January of that year, he promised to release some prisoners, including from opposition politicians, and hundreds of them were freed despite retaining high-profile politicians like Bekele Gerba. Furthermore, he stated that the release of prisoners was met with opposition in Oromia Region. By January 2018, more than 60,000 prisoners had been freed despite both Oromo and Amhara underrepresented in the country's corridor of power.[7] To accelerate this, most opposition members in Oromia called for a boycott on 12 February. The boycott was officially cancelled after the release of Bekele Gerba, but protests continued in many places.[8]

The final body, the 180-member council of the EPRDF, planned to convene to accept the resignation and elect the new chairman of the party.[9] According to the Ethiopian News Agency, Hailemariam's resignation as both prime minister and chairman of the ruling party "to be part of the efforts to provide a lasting solution to the current situation" and would stay as caretaker until a successor was chosen. He was succeeded by Abiy Ahmed as prime minister on 2 April 2018.[10]

Aftermath

His resignation received mass protests among youth of Oromia and Amhara people, who contested that the Tigrayan-dominated government demanding political and economic correctness and state corruption abolished. The government later declared a state of emergency concerning the country's human rights records.[11][12]

On 2 April 2018, Abiy Ahmed from the Oromo People's Democratic Organization (OPDO) was elected as the new Prime Minister and sworn in Parliament.[13] He reformed the country's politics, releasing political prisoners, and relaxing media censorship, and he was later awarded the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize. Although he hoped to bring Ethiopia in unity and pan-Ethiopian nationalism, ethnic unrest resurged; both Oromo and Tigray political parties rejected for peace treaty and refused to merge with his newly-formed Prosperity Party.[13][14]

References
  1. "Ethiopia PM Hailemariam Desalegn in surprise resignation". BBC News. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  2. Guttry, Andrea de; Post, Harry H. G.; Venturini, Gabriella (1 April 2021). The 1998–2000 Eritrea-Ethiopia War and Its Aftermath in International Legal Perspective: From the 2000 Algiers Agreements to the 2018 Peace Agreement. Springer Nature. ISBN 978-94-6265-439-6.
  3. "Ethiopia's PM resigns citing unrest". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  4. "Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn resigns". The Independent. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  5. Mackintosh, Eliza (15 February 2018). "Ethiopian prime minister resigns after years of turmoil". CNN. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  6. Berberoglu, Berch (26 September 2018). The Palgrave Handbook of Social Movements, Revolution, and Social Transformation. Springer. ISBN 978-3-319-92354-3.
  7. "Ethiopia's prime minister resigns to smooth path for political reform". www.euractiv.com. 16 February 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  8. Moore, Jina (15 February 2018). "Ethiopia's Prime Minister Resigns Amid Political Turmoil". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  9. "Breaking: Ethiopia pm Hailemariam Desalegn resigns". 19 September 2022.
  10. "Ethiopia's prime minister resigns amid political turmoil". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  11. Karal, Dilek (28 November 2018). Ethico-political Governmentality of Immigration and Asylum: The Case of Ethiopia. Springer. p. 94. ISBN 978-3-030-00196-4.
  12. Fombad, Charles M.; Steytler, Nico; Steytler, Nico (12 March 2020). Corruption and Constitutionalism in Africa. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-885559-0.
  13. Nagar, Marcel Felicity (2021). The Road to Democratic Development Statehood in Africa: The Cases of Ethiopia, Mauritius, and Rwanda. Springer Nature. p. 112. ISBN 978-3-030-73523-4.
  14. House, Freedom (25 January 2020). Freedom in the World 2019: The Annual Survey of Political Rights and Civil Liberties. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-5381-3457-3.
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