The resignation fever that afflicted South Africa with the resignation of President Jacob Zuma last night as added another casualty in the person of Hailemariam Desalegn, the Ethiopian Prime Minister who also resigned on Thursday amidst protract anti-government protest.
Mr. Hailemariam has been in power since 2012.
Hundreds of people have died in violence sparked initially by an urban development plan for the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. The unrest spread in 2015 and 2016 as demonstrations against political restrictions and human rights abuses broke out.
“Unrest and a political crisis have led to the loss of lives and displacement of many,” Hailemariam said in a televised address to the nation. “I see my resignation as vital in the bid to carry out reforms that would lead to sustainable peace and democracy.”
The letter was accepted by the executive committee of Hailemariam’s party, the Southern Ethiopian People’s Democratic Movement, as well as the wider ruling coalition, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), state-backed media said.
His resignation will be confirmed once the full EPRDF council meets.
In a short statement, Hailemariam said he was not quitting politics, but wanted to continue his work to reform Ethiopia. “My decision is to be part of the ongoing reform programmes,” he said, according to Fana,
