Faced with spreading protests and ethnic attacks on Tigrayans (who are about 6% of the population but dominate politics), the government announced a state of emergency, giving itself wide powers to ban protests and arrest people. In August it lifted a ten-month-long state of emergency, imposed after protests in 2016. But rather than signalling a retreat from reform, the new state of emergency appears to have been triggered by the resignation the day before of Hailemariam Desalegn, the prime minister. The emergency regulations may buy the coalition time to agree on a new prime minister and implement reforms. If OPDO MPs vote in favour of the measure when parliament meets over the coming fortnight, there may be even more anger.

Source: Ethiopian News February 22, 2018 15:56 UTC