Defence Minister Siraj Fegessa told a press conference: "the state of emergency will last for six months, and it must be presented to House of People's Representatives and approved within 15 days." "I don’t think the state of emergency will bring peace and stability," Addis Ababa resident Andualem Melese told AFP. The prime minister said he was leaving to give the EPRDF space as it pursued political reforms. Last month, Hailemariam said Ethiopia would release some jailed "politicians" to "improve the national consensus and widen the democratic platform". A state of emergency gives the federal government authority over all security forces, including local militias and regional police, said Ethiopia researcher Rene Lefort.

Source: Ethiopian News February 17, 2018 16:30 UTC