Insider sources from within the TPLF power hierarchy inform ESAT that Azeb
Mesfin, the widow of the late Prime Minster Meles Zenawi, is aggressively
lobbying for the Chairwoman position of TPLF left by her husband. The
source said if she gets the chairperson position of TPLF it would be very
easy for her grab at least the vice chairperson position of the governing
coalition-EPRDF-thereby putting her closer to the top job in the land.
Azeb is the only woman in the 36 member EPRDF executive committee and
ascendance in this powerful committee back in September of 2003 when long
time respected politicians in the likes of Arkebe Ouqubai were purged was a
subject of heated discussion among political observers and party insiders.
According to the source, Azeb has been diligently using the recent prolonged
mourning of the Prime Minister's death to personally plead with long time
party veterans. She was seen talking to former Foreign Minister and current
Ethiopian ambassador to China Seyoum Mesfin, party heavyweights Abay
Tsehaye, Arkebe Ouqubai, Tefera Walwa and Addisu Legesse.
During the formal funeral ceremony Azeb pushed aside an official speech
prepared by another TPLF veteran-Netsanet Asfaw-and went on unscripted. In
what observers said was largely a political speech, Azeb demanded conviction
from party members to what she called "Meles' way". She said the only way
forward should be to stick to the 'unadulterated' policies and strategies
Meles has put forward and the party must follow them with even greater
conviction.
Many of the executive committee members from TPLF are slated for retirement
at the end of 2015 under party approved succession plan. Azeb has only had
a year in the committee and given her age many believe she would come out a
top contender and perhaps the only contender for the chairwoman position of
TPLF. However she has to jostle with candidates from the growingly assertive
OPDO and ANDM candidates for the vice chairwomanship position of the
government coalition-EPRDF- she is said to be spiritedly lobbying for.
Even though the official government spokesperson has declared that
Hailemariam Desalegn will be taking over the Prime Ministerial position
until the 2015 election, observers say the party is vacillating on swearing
him in. The executive council had met yesterday but didn't agree on new
leaders of the party. Instead the leadership selection is put off until next
week when the council will be meeting for its annual regular meeting.
Though in the first two days since the prime minister's death has officially
been announced, Hailemariam was officially addressed as Acting Prime
minister that has changed in the later days. Government media are addressing
him as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister since the more than a week
long ago.
The formal swearing in ceremony program had to be put off after it was
announced on government media. The government spokesperson, Bereket Simon,
has downplayed the need to swear Hailemariam urgently. He rejected the need
to call parliament for the swearing in. Instead he said parliamentarians
need to be left alone to grieve their deceased Prime Minister.
Hailemariam is constitutionally warranted to take over the Prime Ministerial
post unless otherwise he is sidelined as some are suspecting is happening
now. If Hailemariam is to be promoted to the Chairmanship position, the
deputy chairman position he has been holding will be up for grabs. Azeb seem
committed to take up this position.
EPRDF will hold its 180 member council meeting in the first week of
Ethiopian New Year which will be within a week time. Political observers are
keenly awaiting what comes out of that meeting.
