Adanech Abiebie is “elected” as mayor of Addis Ababa. She has unveiled members of her executive and cabinet members
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On Tuesday, Addis Ababa City new administration was formed. Adanech Abeie who was acting mayor during the previous city administration is sworn in as Mayor.
She will be leading the administration for the next five years.
She pledged to undertake work that considers and honors the City’s greatness. Addis Ababa is the seat of the African Union and many other international organizations.
She also unveiled city cabinets and key members of her administration.
The cabinet has 46 executive members and 25 cabinet members, including the Mayor.
When she was appointed as acting mayor by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Adanech Abiebie faced legitimacy issues as her appointment appeared to have radical ethnic Oromo political machination within the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed party.
There was also an exclusive ownership over Addis Ababa from the same political group – which gave rise to a movement which turned out to be an opposition political party – Balderas for True Democracy. Key leaders of the party, including Eskinder Nega, were thrown in prison with, as many believed it to be, trumped up charges.
Adanech’s terms in office were not as turbulent as it was expected to be, or it did not surface at least, as she apparently seems to have understood the concerns of residents in the city.
Added to that, she did not demonstrate sentiments of radical ethnic Oromo nationalistic tones. She rather appeared to have embraced an Ethiopian nationalistic tone, and that seem to have contributed to her election as mayor.
It remains to be seen if she continues to live the course and be a voice for Ethiopianism – a value that has been demonized by radical ethnic nationalists, including Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) which the Ethiopian parliament designated as a terrorist group, from different parts of the country.
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