Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has called on residents of the northern Tigray region to nominate a new leader to replace interim President Getachew Reda, in a bid to defuse political tensions and prevent a return to conflict. The move follows escalating divisions within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which has led to violent clashes and the takeover of key towns by forces loyal to former regional leader Debretsion Gebremichael.
Reda, facing internal opposition, fled to Addis Ababa earlier this month as rival factions within the TPLF sought to remove him and install new leadership. Armed fighters backing Debretsion have taken control of several towns, including Adigrat, Tigray’s second-largest city, raising fears of renewed war.
William Davison, a senior analyst on Ethiopia, warns that while a leadership change may offer temporary stability, long-term challenges remain. “The new leaders will struggle to regain control of territory lost during the war, and failure to do so could result in continued instability or even fresh conflict,” he told The Associated Press.
Ahmed’s decision to seek public nominations, announced in a post on the social media platform X, has sparked controversy. The TPLF insists it had already chosen a successor, Lt. Gen. Tadesse Worede, a high-ranking military figure and former commander of the Tigray Defense Force.
TPLF deputy chair Amanuel Assefa criticized Ahmed’s approach, calling it a violation of the 2022 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA). “The prime minister had previously agreed to the TPLF’s nominee. Rejecting it now would go against the CoHA,” Assefa told AP.
Ahmed, who has been holding talks with Reda and TPLF leaders in Addis Ababa, recently indicated that the interim government’s mandate could be extended by a year to align with Ethiopia’s national elections in 2025.
Observers say the ongoing turmoil in Tigray could further complicate Ethiopia’s fragile peace process, with concerns that failure to resolve leadership disputes could push the region back into widespread conflict.
