UMD Media, March 9, 2025
In a meeting held on Sunday, March 9, with council members from cities, sub-cities, districts, and local Tabias, Debretsion Gebremichael, leader of a faction within the 50-year-old Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), criticized the Tigray Interim Regional Administration (TIRA) for what he described as a systematic dismantling of Tigray’s democratic institutions. The TPLF has been suspended from political activities for three months by the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE).
Tigray’s Constitution ‘Trumped’ by Outsiders and Insiders
During his speech, Debretsion lamented that Tigray’s constitution was first undermined by external forces and is now being violated by internal forces. He specifically accused the Getachew Reda-led TIRA of systematically dismantling the regional council, city councils, sub-city councils, district councils, and local administrative structures, all in the name of reform.
He alleged that Getachew Reda’s initially appealed to the federal government, requesting the dissolution of the regional council. He claimed this was later revealed to be a deliberate act of sabotage against Tigray’s political institutions.
Accusations Against the Interim Administration
Debretsion further accused TIRA of ignoring the will of the people and actively working to dismantle or seize control of the TPLF. He told meeting attendees:
“You have rescued the party. Now, this faction is continuing its assault from outside, as they are no longer with us.”
He also accused TIRA of working with the federal government to weaken the party, citing restrictions on meeting venues, destruction of party offices, and suppression of political activities.
Addressing council members, Debretsion urged them not to surrender to what he called an orchestrated effort to erase legitimate political structures in Tigray. He questioned why TIRA was targeting elected councils in Tigray, while Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party was not doing similar interventions in other parts of Ethiopia.
Dispute Over Legitimacy of Councils
Debretsion also criticized TIRA’s argument that city and district councils, including those in Mekelle and Adigrat, do not adequately represent the people. He compared these councils to the Interim Council established by TIRA, which includes six opposition parties, former members of parliament, civil society representatives, scholars, and Getachew Reda’s TPLF faction. The Interim Council has recently established six standing committees, including four key committees: the Pretoria Peace Agreement Affairs Monitoring Committee, the Social Development and Rehabilitation Affairs Committee, the Justice, Democratization, and Elections Committee, and the Asset Management and Auditing Matters Committee, all of which are chaired by opposition party leaders. This marks an unprecedented shift in Tigray’s governance, breaking from the TPLF-led administration of the past 33 plus years.
Debretsion accused TIRA of handpicking members for the Interim Council, unlike the sub-regional councils, which he claims were elected by the people. He further alleged that Getachew Reda’s administration had overstepped its authority by appointing new mayors and local administrators, overriding the existing officials chosen by sub-regional councils controlled by his TPLF Secretariat.
According to Debretsion, his faction has successfully resisted TIRA’s attempts to take over sub-regional councils across most zones, except in the Southern Zone, where he said the struggle remains ongoing. He claimed that TPLF meetings in the Southern Zone have been disrupted, attendees assaulted, some individuals denied their salaries, and party members disarmed.
Years Old Internal Power Struggles Within TPLF
Debretsion also discussed the TPLF’s lengthy 2023 appraisal meeting, which focused on internal conflicts, including his own removal from leadership during a protracted and contentious central committee session. The meeting not only ousted him but also nearly led to the removal of Fetlework Gebregziabher, the TPLF’s Deputy Chair.
However, sources indicate that General Fisseha Kidane and General Haileselassie Girmay, among other army representatives present, intervened, arguing that removing Fetlework would cause irreparable harm to the party. As a compromise, Fetlework was reassigned as Head of Secretariat, Getachew Reda was appointed Deputy Chair, and Debretsion retained his position as Chair. Both generals, along with others such as Yohannes Woldegiorgis, are widely regarded as strong allies of Debretsion’s faction.
Debretsion suggested that Getachew Reda’s faction was dissatisfied with this outcome, as they allegedly sought to replicate the way Abiy Ahmed took control of the EPRDF in 2018 by gaining control of the party from within. He insisted, however, that such a maneuver was not possible within the TPLF, as party members, cadres, and the army would not allow it.
Concerns Over Treatment of IDPs in Southern Tigray and Tselemti
Debretsion also raised concerns over the treatment of internally displaced persons (IDPs) returning to areas such as Southern Tigray and Tselemti. He claimed that many returnees have faced mistreatment and oppression, including being forced to speak Amharic instead of Tigrigna.
He shared a conversation with an elderly man from Tselemti, who allegedly told him:
“You returned us as captured prisoners of war. They are flogging us. At over 60 years old, I was forced to kneel down. They have stripped us of our dignity.”
He also recalled the case of a grieving mother who lost her son in the war, being harassed and forced to speak Amharic instead of her native language, Tigrigna, at a hospital in Tselemti. Debretsion denounced the undignified return of IDPs and vowed that such actions would not be repeated in Western Tigray.
Debretsion concluded by declaring that the party remains united, the people are with us, and the army stands in solidarity, all against what he called puppet administrations. He reassured sub-regional council members that, despite being dispersed across different districts, they remain the true regional council of Tigray. This was seen as an indirect challenge to TIRA’s Interim Council, which he dismissed as illegitimate.
With Debretsion’s faction adamant about controlling Tigray’s governance, the power struggle between the TPLF’s rival factions is poised to escalate even further. The situation remains uncertain, and it is unclear whether attempts to restructure TIRA’s leadership including the potential removal of Getachew Reda as President will succeed, as Debretsion appears to suggest.
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