PM Abiy appoints another senior army officer to police leadership

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has appointed another senior military officer to a leadership position within the federal police. The appointee previously served as the commander of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces’ Northern Command, holding the rank of Major General during the early stages of the Tigray conflict. In October 2020, during escalating tensions between the federal government and regional authorities, he was blocked by Tigray officials from traveling to Mekelle to assume his command responsibilities.

He gained significant attention in January 2021 when he publicly acknowledged the presence of Eritrean troops in Ethiopia during a town hall meeting in Mekelle, a statement that contradicted the official denials issued by both the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments at that time. This appointment continues a trend of integrating military personnel into senior police roles. Observers are now watching to see how this transition impacts the current operational focus of the federal police force.