Tigray People’s Liberation Front TPLF today banned Getachew Reda and other Central Committee members from the party. The party has been holding a congress since Tuesday.
In a statement issued today, the party announced that those Central Committee members who are not attending the congress have been been banned from representing the party on any forum. The decision came amid unprecedented intra party tensions in the Tigray’s largest political party.
TPLF ruled over Ethiopia from 1991 till 2018. In entered into an armed conflict with the federal government in November 2020. The party, which has been restricted to Tigray in recent years, is split into two groups. One group is led by party chairman Debretsion Gebremichael and the other by Getachew Reda, Tigray interim President.
Ethiopian Prime Minister and National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) warned TPLF against holding the congress. Election board, a week ago, registered TPLF as a new political party. TPLF rejected the decision demanding restoration of its status not registration. TPLF was declared a terrorist entity in 2021 during Tigray war. In 2023, terrorism label was removed by the Ethiopian parliament but the party was not restored.
14 central committee members, including Interim President Getachew Reda, are boycotting the party’s ongoing 14th congress. They say the those in power in TPLF for decades are endangering the people and interests of Tigray by holding the party congress. While those holding the congress, led by chairman Debretsion, accuse Getachew group of backed by federal government.
It seems that Getachew Reda group will try to get legal recognition as TPLF from NEBE. But it would be difficult for this group to be fully acceptable in Tigray.
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