Ethiopia’s Tigray region in Turmoil as Political Crisis Deepens: Getachew Reda Defies Ouster, Legal Action Looms
The political crisis in Ethiopia’s Tigray region has escalated, with tensions flaring between the Tigray Interim Regional Administration (TIRA) led by President Getachew Reda and a faction of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) loyal to Debretsion Gebremichael. In a dramatic turn of events, the Debretsion faction announced today that it had dismissed Getachew Reda and his cabinet, declaring its intent to appoint a new interim president after consulting the federal government. The faction also named seven key officials to lead a restructured interim administration.
In response, Getachew Reda and TIRA issued a strongly worded counter-statement, denouncing the move as an “illegal public coup” and vowing to take legal action against what it described as a “force of destruction” undermining the region’s stability. Getachew’s administration accused the Debretsion wing of holding an unauthorized congress and launching a slander campaign against the Tigray leadership and military.
“The Tigray Provisional Administration cannot tolerate this cowardice,” the TIRA statement read, promising to hold the Debretsion faction accountable for any further unrest. Getachew Reda’s administration urged Tigray’s people and the international community to be wary of the faction’s actions, insisting it would work to uphold the peace deal signed in Pretoria last year and restore order in the conflict-ridden region.
The split within the TPLF has thrown Tigray into uncertainty. Despite the claim from TPLF Debretsion’s faction that they have secured support from the federal government, the TIRA disputed these assertions, calling the group’s attempts to align with Tigray’s security forces misleading. However, reports suggest that a significant portion of Tigray’s military leadership is siding with Debretsion, raising questions about Getachew Reda’s ability to maintain power without the backing of the region’s security apparatus.
The TPLF Debretsion faction has already begun restructuring the regional government, announcing appointments for critical cabinet positions and zone governors. Among the new appointees are Dr. Abraham Tekesete as the Head of Cabinet Secretariat for Transitional Economic Development, and Mr. Emmanuel Assefa as the Head of Cabinet Secretariat for Infrastructure. The new appointments come amid a backdrop of worsening political divisions and concerns over governance and stability in the war-scarred region.
The power struggle has exacerbated fears of renewed instability in Tigray, where a fragile peace is still being rebuilt following the brutal two-year civil war. As both sides prepare for a protracted legal and political battle, the future of the region remains deeply uncertain. All eyes are now on whether the federal government will intervene in the escalating crisis and which faction the Tigray security forces will ultimately support.
Today, the TPLF is locked in a battle for survival and relevance. The hardline faction led by Debretsion Gebremichael is determined to maintain the party’s old guard and resist integration into Ethiopia’s broader political framework. In contrast, Getachew Reda and his supporters argue that reintegration is the only path to lasting peace and stability for Tigray, advocating for a more pragmatic approach in line with the Pretoria Agreement.
However, Getachew’s leadership is under threat, with reports suggesting that a significant portion of Tigray’s military commanders are siding with the Debretsion wing, raising doubts about his ability to retain power without the support of the region’s security forces. The TPLF faction loyal to Debretsion has already appointed seven key officials to Tigray’s interim cabinet, further complicating the political landscape.
