EPRDF’s Executive – Who is in, who is out | Metekakat review

The ruling party EPRDF saw another major change in its leadership last month with the replacement of about a third of its leadership (13 of its executive members and 50 of its councilors).

However, it is debatable how many of the changes constitute the 2nd phase of the Metekakat plan – i.e., the 3-phase plan to transfer power to a “new generation” of leaders by 2015.

Ambiguity on the definition of “generation” is the first problem.

As noted in my article last February (“Ethiopia’s Ruling Party: Transition plus Confusion”):

“Some among the high officials of the ruling party categorize the leadership into three generations. EPRDF leaders who took part in the armed struggle to remove the military regime constitute the first generation. EPRDF leaders, who were not combatants, but the same age group as the first generation, make up the second generation. Younger EPRDF leaders are deemed as the third generation…

The alternative version of the generational definition put in one sentence in the party’s ideological periodical in 2009 reads: “all members who have been serving in top leadership positions since the years of armed struggle must retire within 5 years of the next EPRDF Congress to be held in September 2010”.
But this seems too narrow to signify a generational transition. Not even wide enough to include long-time senior leaders…who resigned as part of the first phase in 2010.”

As if this was not enough ambiguity, former Dep. PM Addisu Legesse added a third equally alternative definition in the EPRDF Congress last month. After noting the two alternative definitions, he said that Metekakat could also mean “empowering” the new generation leaders (it seems he meant: readying the new generation without the seniors vanquishing  their positions).

Secondly, it is not clear how many of the outgoings left because they wanted to and how many of them failed to secure votes. This is especially difficult with regard to the executive members as their election is conducted in closed door meetings. Information regarding which of them voluntarily declined nomination – in the election of executive members – is hard to come by and, when found, not sufficiently reliable to publish it publicly.

Nonetheless, pending more disclosures, it would be informative to see the changes in the top league of EPRDF in 2010 and 2013.

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Changes in the EPRDF Executive Committee

The EPRDF (Ethiopian peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Party) has three main tiers of leadership that is the EPRDF Congress, the EPRDF Council and the EPRDF Executive Committee.

The 36 seat EPRDF Executive Committee is elected by the Executive Committees of its four members parties  – namely, SEPDM (Southern Ethiopian Peoples’ Democratic movement), ANDM (Amhara Nation Democratic Movement), TPLF (Tigray Peoples’ Liberation Front) and OPDO (Oromo Peoples’ Democratic Organization).

 

[Please see the first part of this series (link) for a brief description of EPRDF leadership structure and elections]

Both in 2010 and in 2013, one third of the EPRDF Executive Committee were new entrants. “New”, however, doesn’t necessarily mean first-timers, as we will see below.

This post is intended to present a tabular summary of the changes in the top league since 2010, when the first phase of Metekakat took place.

The first table shows the current 36 members of the EPRDF Executive Committee elected last month, changes in their membership status since 2010 and related data where necessary.

The second table lists the list of Executive members who left in 2013 (last month) and related data where necessary.

The third table presents list of Executive members who left in 2010 and related data where necessary.

Acronyms:
EPRDF – Ethiopian peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Party
TPLF – Tigray Peoples’ Liberation Front
ANDM – Amhara Nation Democratic Movement
OPDO – Oromo Peoples’ Democratic Organization
SPEDM – Southern Ethiopian Peoples’ Democratic movement

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Table I – Current EPRDF Executive Committee

 

Name

Party

Changes since 2010

1

Hailemariam Desalegn

SEPDM (Chair)

EPRDF Deputy in 2010, Chair since Sept. 2012

2

Shiferaw Shigute

SEPDM (Deputy)

No change

3

Redwan Hussien

SEPDM

No change

4

Alemayehu Asefa

SEPDM

No change

5

Mekuria Haile

SEPDM

No change

6

Shiferaw Teklemariam (PhD)

SEPDM

No change

7

Siraj Fagessa

SEPDM

New member

8

Tesfaye Beljigie

SEPDM

New member

9

Dessie Dalkie

SEPDM

New member

10

Demeke Mekonnen

ANDM (Chair)

EPRDF Deputy since Sept. 2012

11

Gedu Andargachew

ANDM (Deputy)

Joined in 2010

12

Ahmed Abitew

ANDM

New member

13

Bereket Simon

ANDM

No change

14

Tefera Deribew

ANDM

Joined in 2010

15

Binalf Andualem

ANDM

Joined in 2010

16

Dr. Ambachew Mekonnen

ANDM

Left in 2010, now back

17

Alemnew Mekonnen

ANDM

New member

18

Ayalew Gobeze

ANDM

No change

19

Abay Woldu

TPLF (Chair)

No change

20

Debretsion Gebremichael (PhD)

TPLF (Deputy)

Joined in 2010

21

Tewodros Adhanom (PhD)

TPLF

No change

22

Azeb Mesfin (F)

TPLF

Joined in 2010

23

Tewodros Hagos

TPLF

No change

24

Alem Gebrewahid

TPLF

New member

25

Gebremeskel Tareke

TPLF

New member

26

Beyene Mekru

TPLF

Joined in 2010

27

Tirfu Kidanemariam (F)

TPLF

New member

28

Alemayehu Atomsa

OPDO (Chair)

Joined in 2010

29

Muktar Kedir

OPDO (Deputy)

No change

30

Sufian Ahmed

OPDO

Joined in 2010

31

Abdulaziz Mohammed

OPDO

Joined in 2010

32

Aster Mamo (F)

OPDO

Left in 2010, now back

33

Workineh Gebeyehu

OPDO

New member

34

Diriba Kuma

OPDO

No change

35

Abera Hailu

OPDO

New member

36

Oumer Hussein

OPDO

New member

* (F) indicates female member.

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Table II – EPRDF Executive members who left in March 2013

Name Party Joined in Reason for leaving
Tagese chafo

SEPDM

Joined in 2010

Lost election?

Debebe Abera

SEPDM

Joined in 2010

Lost election?

Ambassador TeshomeToga

SEPDM

Joined before 2010

Lost election?

Berhan Hailu

ANDM

Joined before 2010

Lost election?

Addisu Legese

ANDM

Joined before 2010

Lost election?

Tsegaye Berhe TPLF

Joined before 2010

Lost election?

Meles zenawi TPLF

Joined before 2010

Passed away

Abadi Zemo TPLF

Joined before 2010

Lost election?

Zelalem Jemaneh OPDO

Joined before 2010

Lost election?

Kuma Demekisa OPDO

Joined before 2010

Lost election?

Girma Biru OPDO

Joined before 2010

Lost election?

Abadula Gemeda OPDO

Joined before 2010

Lost election?

Note: There is no official statement indicating that any of the guys above declined nomination for the EPRDF executive committees. However, with regard to some of them, there is a rampant rumor – among their admirers – that they declined after securing high-level of votes. One of those is Speaker of the House Abadula Gemeda, who was not much helpful to my inquiry during lunch-break at the EPRDF Congress last month.

While the general claim sounds illogical to me, I preferred to state “lost re-election?” for each out-going executive members (in the table above), as I might have missed something and to preclude complaint by their fans.

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Table III – EPRDF Executive members who left in 2010

Name Party Remark
Kassu Illala (PhD) SEPDM
Tsegaye Mamo SEPDM
Ambachew Mekonnen ANDM Now back
Tefera Walwa ANDM
Yohannes Buayalew ANDM
Yoseph Reta ANDM
Abay Tsehaye TPLF
Arkebe Equbay TPLF
Seyoum Mesfin TPLF
Aster Mammo (F) OPDO Now back
Juneidi Saddo OPDO
Shiferaw Jarsso OPDO

* (F) indicates female member.

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This is the second part of the “Metekakat review” series.

Previous: EPRDF’s leadership structure and elections | Metekakat review

Next: EPRDF’s New Council – who is in and who is out?| Metekakat review (tomorrow)

Forthcoming: Summaries of the changes in the four EPRDF Members parties’ leadership and more data & analyses.

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