National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) on Friday announced much awaited decision about the status of Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). TPLF, a political party, was declared a terrorist entity in 2021 during deadly war between TPLF and federal forces. Terrorist designation was removed in 2023, but TPLF was not reinstated as a political party. The party has been requesting restoration of its full status. Earlier this year, NEBE asked TPLF to get registered as a new political party, but the latter refused.
NEBE, in its decision announced on Friday, recognized TPLF’s status as political party.
“Based on the confirmation given by the Ministry of Justice and the documents submitted by the TPLF, the National Election Board of Ethiopia decided to register the TPLF as a political party under special conditions. The board decided that the certificate of legal personality to be issued should be prepared with the word “special conditions” as per the provisions of Proclamation No. 1332/2016,” NEBE said in a statement on Friday.
Election Board asked TPLF to hold party congress attended by the NEBE’s observers within six months from the date of receipt of the letter containing the decision to register under special conditions. In this assembly, bylaws will be approved and leaders will be elected. The party must inform NEBE of the date of the congress 21 days before the holding of the congress.
The statement issued by the NEBE indicates that TPLF has not been restored but it has been registered as a new political party with its old name.
Interestingly, on Thursday, Tigray interim President Getachew Reda refused to attend TPLF’s party congress. He distanced himself from party’s application for registration. He claimed that some TPLF leaders sent the application to NEBE for registration with his counterfeit signatures.
TPLF is faced with the worst internal divisions. Party has split into two groups. One is led by Tigray interim president Getachew Reda and the other is led by TPLF’s senior leaders including party chairman Debretsion Gebremichael, deputy chairman Fetlework Gebregziaber and secretary general Alem Gebrewahid.
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