Two months ahead of a planned deadline, Ethiopia’s parliament overwhelmingly approved a move by the government to bring an end to the nation’s state-of-emergency according to the state-run Fana Broadcasting.
Following a weekend of resolution by the Council of Ministers, the decision was arrived at noting that ”law and order” has been restored in the east-African nation.
Political turmoil which broke in mid-February saw the imposition of the state of emergency. Soon after the former Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn resigned his post. The departure of the premier created room for power tussle within the ruling coalition, Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF).
The 547 seat-House of People’s Representatives deliberated Tuesday on the Council of Ministers’ resolution and the motion was passed with only 8 abstentions according to reports from Fana Broadcasting.
The man who replaced former PM Hailemariam, Abiy Ahmed is a former army officer. During his short time in office, he has traveled across the nation promising to tackle political differences, rein in grievances of everyday Ethiopians and push for civil rights reforms.
The crackdown on dissent in the former government saw the detention of thousands of political prisoners, authorities have pledged to release most of them as the new premier embark on his national reconciliation and structural reformation of Ethiopia.
Neba Benson,
BaretaNews Foreign Correspondent/Analyst
