The ruling TPLF junta’s levers of power has been transferred to former Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin, according to Ethiopian Review Intelligence Unit sources. Seyoum is a temporary consensus choice. His health is frail and thus will be not able to carry out his new responsibilities for long.
In appointing Hailemariam Dessaleng as acting prime minister until 2015, the ruling TPLF junta has decided to keep most of the state power, particularly the security, military and economic areas. Hailemariam will have limited power and has to get approval from the TPLF politburo that is now led by Seyoum Mesfin before making any major policy or executive decision.
After several weeks of heated debates, finally over a week ago a U.S. high-level delegation led by Senator Christopher Coons helped the TPLF leadership to reach an agreement. The other members of the U.S delegation who took part in the mediation include Gen. Ralph O. Baker, Africom Commander, Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa, and Kirk McBride, chief of the U.S. Embassy’s Political/Economic section in Ethiopia. Africom Commander Gen. Carter Ham has also been involved in the mediation through Gen. Baker and other Africom officers on the ground. The U.S. foreign policy on Ethiopia is currently being coordinated from the Pentagon through Africom. The State Department has insignificant involvement, according to Ethiopian Review sources.
Another major decision the TPLF junta made is creating a special security and intelligence task force composed of Debretsion Gebremichael, Getachew Asefa, Workneh Gebeyehu, and Tadesse Kassa. Debretsion, a member of the TPLF Politburo, is named chairman of the task force that is responsible for state security.
Lt. Gen. Seare Mekonnen is currently in charge of the military. Gen. Samora Yenus is practically out because of illness. Bereket Simon had him dragged out of his bed in a Germany hospital to show his face at Meles Zenawi’s funeral, but he is done as a chief of staff. The top echelon of the military continues to be 99% Tigrean. There is only 1 non-Tigrean among the top-60 officers in the country.