Ethiopian Senate Votes to Sever All relations with Tigray’s Parliament

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 08:21 am

Ethnic tensions in Ethiopia continue to mount after The Ethiopian Senate voted on Tuesday to sever all relations between the federal authorities and both the Tigray regional parliament and executive.

This comes after the Tigrayan leaders chose to unilaterally hold elections — initially scheduled for August, last month in defiance of the decision made back in March by the Federal Parliament’s Electoral Commission to postpone national elections and extend office terms of both regional and national deputies beyond their initial October’s end in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This vote further widens the gap between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed — who described the Tigrayan regional elections as illegal and illegitimate, and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which has dominated Ethiopian politics for nearly 30 years.

Nevertheless, the federal government will continue to work with local institutions in northern Tigray to ensure that essential services remain available to the people of the region.

(AFP)