The disgraced chairman of AEUP and Kinijit, Ato Hailu Shawel, and his deputy, Ato Yakob Likie have been attacked by AEUP members at the party’s office in Addis Ababa yesterday. The 76-year-old Hailu Shawel sprinted to his car and escaped while Yakob, who couldn’t run as fast, was caught and pummeled by angry AEUP members who accused them of handing over the party to the ruling party, Woyanne.
The problem started when Hailu Shawel manipulated the AUEP election and got himself elected two weeks ago through bribery after previously announcing his retirement.
The person who was favored by most members to take over as chairman was Ato Tadios Tantu, who was not Hailu Shawel’s choice. Hailu wanted Yakob Likie to become the new chairman. When the members rejected Yakob, who is accused by AEUP activist of having close ties with Woyanne, Hailu Shawel’s employees hijacked the election process and demanded his reelection.
Hailu’s action angered most of the senior members of the executive committee, including Ato Mamushet Amare, and Wzr. Mesobework Kitaw.
During an acrimonious meeting that was held last Saturday, Mamushet Amare told Yakob, “You can inherit Hailu Shawel’s personal properties, but not AEUP.” When the meeting became hard to control, Hailu Shawel called Woyanne police and removed several senior AEUP members from the meeting.
The members who rejected Hailu Shawel’s actions and his return to AEUP held their own meeting and formed an emergency committee to be chaired by Wzr. Mesobwerk Kitaw. The emergency committee has released a statement explaining its objectives (click here to read).