Meles Zenawi
Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia has told the Financial Times that he is planning to step down as Prime Minister before the next elections are due.
It is said that Ethiopia’s next national election is to be held in one year. Therefore, it has to be seen, whether deeds follow the words. No doubt that this comes as a surprise and surely it would represent a rare move on the African continent.
During the 2005 elections Ethiopia experienced riots and street demonstrations, which left approximately 200 protesters dead and several opposition leaders arrested.
Since the majority of the people in Mr Zenawi’s ruling party come from the Tigrayan ethnic minority, it does not make ruling Ethiopia easy for him. This can be seen in the growing ethnical tensions within Ethiopia.
He acknowledged that his successor will be from a different ethnic group. This is seen as a move by Zenawi to calm down the tension within Ethiopia.
Mr Zenawi did not give any specific date, to the Financial Times, about when he plans to step down as Prime Minister. All he mentioned was, that he had enough after 18 years in power and that other leaders should do the same.
The Ethiopian Prime Minister would leave office refusing to accept a legally binding border demarcation with Eritrea, which was set out by an international border commission in pursue of the Algiers Peace Agreement signed by Eritrea and Ethiopia.
The demarcation rule was accepted by Eritrea. However, no international body was able to support Eritrea in getting its legal right and its sovereign land by forcing Ethiopia to adhere to the ruling.
OK, It has to be seen if he really steps down but the question’s : What proof has Meles to ease the ethnic tension?
He will never step down!
I don’t think he will do it!
I agree with the step down, but are the scavengers ready?
Unless, necesary preconditions are done, I doubt ethiopia may become big Somalia soon.
THIS DICTATOR GOT ETHIOPIANS ATERRORIZED BY HIS GUN MAN, NO RIGHT, NO FREEDOM, ETHIOPIANS ARE LIVING WOREST THAN CUBAN. MELES REGIME MUST GO IF THAT COUNTRYS PROGRESS IS NEEDED.
In his words “I made a lot of mistakes over the years, all I can say now is that whatever mistake I made was never for luck of good will, but for luck of capacity - PM Zenawi”. Coming from a President who, like it or not, has put Ethiopia in the right path for democracy and economic growth, and a man highly respected by all big leaders(except PIA), is truly refreshing, humbling and already a model for African leaders.
Has anyone actually read what he said to the Financial Times.… Members of his party are begging him to stay in power … mind you after he ruled the nation for nearly two decade… You are so full of it, in a nation of 80 million people. You actually believe that the party and the nation are so desperate to find a new leader but you.
Furthermore please, please stop the nonsense junk with Eritrea, the boat has long sailed when you willingly signed the dots in 2000 not to mention your recognition in 1993. So be real and stop using the old tired excuses to divert our attention away. It is no longer working. Let us live with our neighbors in peace…. The least you could do is bring that issue to the conclusion. Any king could go to war, but it takes a leader to accept peace!!!!!
I think he is trying to mislead international media. everybody in Ethiopia know that after EPRDF conference he will call the press and then claim that his party refused his proposal to rest
This is ridiculous drama
Dictator M Zenawi will not leave the office because he doesn’t have place to go except hague. He committed crime against humanity.