Tigray Interim President Getachew Reda has written a strong letter to Debretsion Gebremichael, the chairman of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The letter is addressed to Teklebirhan Araya too, who is the head of TPLF Central Control Commission. Getachew Reda is one of senior TPLF leaders.
Getachew Reda announced that he will not attend 14th TPLF congress. TPLF is planning to hold a congress. Last month Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed warned TPLF against holding a party congress.
After the breakout of war between TPLF and Federal Government in November 2020, TPLF was declared a terrorist entity by the Ethiopian parliament in 2021. Terrorist designation was removed by the parliament last year after TPLF and the Federal Government signed Pretoria Peace deal in November 2022. But party’s status as a political party was not restored.
Ethiopian PM and the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) have been warning TPLF against holding a party congress without restoration of its status. NEBE has been asking TPLF for a new registration but TPLF refused. It wants restoration of its previous status.
More than a week ago, TPLF submitted an application to the NEBE for its reinstatement. NEBE has not made any final decision on that application. It was said that if NEBE did not make a decision in two weeks, TPLF would press ahead with its controversial party congress. Getachew Reda in the letter written to TPLF Chairman accused senior TPLF leaders of sending the application to NEBE with his counterfeit signature. He distanced himself from party’s application submitted to NEBE.
Tigray People’s Liberation Front has split into two groups. It was confirmed by Teklebirhan Araya last month. Tekleberhan is the chairman of an internal commission of the party. One group is led by Getachew, the Tigray Interim President, and the other group consists of senior TPLF leaders like chairman Debretsion Gebremichael, Fetlework Gebregziaber, Alem Gebrewahid etc. TPLF’s old guards accuse Getachewreda of having the backing of Federal Government of PM Abiy.
Getachew Reda, in his letter to TPLF chairman, alleged that some senior TPLF leaders were trying to hold a party congress without consensus of Party’s Central Committee Members and the congress, if held, would create problem for the party and region. He said that he will not attend this congress.
It seems that Getachew Reda has declared a political war on TPLF. He is close to Ethiopian PM Abiy. NEBE is under federal government control. Will NEBE restore TPLF or register it as a new political party?
Getachew Reda and his supporters in TPLF say, in their private conversations, that if TPLF old guards hold a party congress, they will expel Getachew Reda group from the party.
Tigray region has been devastated due to two-year long war which ended in November 2022. Millions of people are dependent on food aid. Economy activity is slowly resuming. Youths are fleeing the region to other countries. Political wrangling among TPLF senior leaders is set to exacerbate challenges for the people of Tigray.