Addis Abeba On Tuesday, the House of People's Representatives revised a decree that permits interim administrations to be extended two times, with each extension lasting up to one year. This modification allows the Tigray Interim Administration, which had seen its term conclude recently, to continue operating for another year.
This revision amends Proclamation Number 359/2003, titled "The Mechanism for Federal Government Involvement in Regional States," which outlines how the federal government intervenes in regional states. Passed with a simple majority, the amendment transfers the power to prolong interim administrations from the House of Federation to the Speaker of said house.
The earlier declaration indicated that the federal government had the authority to step in when a regional state was “incapable of upholding peace and security,” when “serious human rights abuses took place and the regional government did not respond adequately,” or when “the constitutional framework was under threat.” Additionally, it permitted setting up an interim administration accountable to the Federal Government through the suspension of both the State Council and the top executive body of the region.
Nevertheless, the decree restricted provisional administrations to a maximum of two years in office, with an additional six months' extension permitted if considered essential.
The explanatory note The attachment to the amendment contends that this time frame "fails to reflect present circumstances," stressing that addressing "highly intricate security and political issues" necessitates adaptability. The document uses the case of the Tigray region to illustrate its point, stating that "despite a two-year period, the necessary conditions for conducting regular regional elections have still not materialized."
The updated decree rationalizes the modification by pointing out that the House of Federation convenes merely "twice annually," with its members holding significant and often intersecting governmental duties within their individual regions. Given these limitations, it states that when it is required to prolong the tenure of a provisional administration, it can become challenging to gather meetings, engage in deliberations, and reach resolutions swiftly. Consequently, the revision empowers the Speaker of the House to authorize such extensions; however, this choice needs to be submitted for approval at one of the House’s routine sessions.
The amendment also states that should the House refuse to prolong the term, "a poll must take place within four months of rejecting the extension, followed by the formation of a standard regional governmental administration."
Additionally, the amendment specifies that choices made by the Speaker or the House concerning provisional governments could highlight matters that require attention from the administration. These are outlined as crucial steps aimed at ultimately removing the conditions that led to federal government intervention and bolstering the constitutional framework.
This amendment comes after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's previous statement remarks To legislators, where he conveyed his conviction that the Tigray Interim Administration, whose term has recently concluded, would likely be prolonged for an additional year. Additionally, he suggested that “some alterations” might occur within its leadership structure.
He emphasized that extending the interim administration's mandate would require legal amendments but noted that further evaluation was necessary before making any revisions. "Based on this assessment, and in a manner that respects the Pretoria Peace Agreement, the interim administration will continue to function until the upcoming elections," he stated.
It has been two years since the Tigray Interim Administration was established as part of the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (COHA), signed between the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the federal government in November 2022. The federal government appointed Getachew Reda as the president.
However, since June 2024, a rift within the TPLF between Debretsion Gebremichael (PhD) and Getachew has disrupted the administration's operations. Debretsion's faction previously called for Getachew's removal , while the interim administration accused Debretsion's group of attempting to "destabilize" the region through a " coup d'état." Tensions escalated recently when Getachew suspended three senior military commanders, a move rejected by the region's Peace and Security Bureau, which argued it violated "legal procedures."
The transitional government charged the suspended generals with acts that might “plunge the area into an internal strife,” yet the Peace and Security Bureau refuted the suspensions as “illegal.” During this turmoil, Getachew, who has been in Addis Ababa for three weeks, looked for necessary assistance " from the federal authorities.
However, Debretsion's faction rejected The request included a warning that any appeals for outside involvement represented a "significant risk" to the Pretoria Peace Agreement.
The previous week, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed did so. confirmed Following Getachew's resignation from his role as the acting president of Tigray, he urged the residents of Tigray to actively take part in selecting potential nominees for the upcoming interim administrative leadership.
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