Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopia PM
ADDIS ABABA, Aug 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has reshuffled his cabinet dropping a former close ally, Defence Minister Lemma Megersa.
Lemma was recently suspended from the ruling party’s executive committee for “failing to discharge his duties”.
Takele Uma, the mayor of the capital, Addis Ababa, and Attorney General Adanech Abiebie have also been affected by the reshuffle.
Takele has been appointed as mines minister.
There is, however, no indication if Adanech will have a new position.
Prior to being appointed as a defence minister Lemma was the head of the country’s most-populous state, Oromia.
But last November, Lemma publicly criticised the prime minister’s efforts to reorganise and rebrand the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) – a coalition of four ethnic based parties that has been in power since the early 1990s.
The EPRDF was renamed as the Prosperity Party.
He also cast doubts on Abiy’s philosophy of Medemer (coming together). — NNN-AGENCIES
