There have been rumors that Ethiopian Prime Minister has lost trust to his military officers and intelligence officials over fears of coup attempt.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Thursday appeared at the 36th regular session of the House of People’s Representatives to address questions from parliamentarians.
But he also talked about something he was not asked: coup d’etat. He made claims – at least for the second time now in less than a year – that there is an active attempt to undertake a coup against his government. He implicated an unspecified country in financing the coup. He described those who are attempting, as he alleges, the coup as “my fathers and my elder brothers.”
“Even though the question is not asked, let me advise my fathers and my elder brothers. Recently in some areas, our fathers are discussing a coup d’ etat. it will not succeed in Ethiopia. We are soldiers and we built the institutions in a way to ensure that the coup will not succeed,” he said.
The Prime Minister did not specify who the elders and elder brothers were who were working on a coup to topple him. But he repeated himself emphasizing that the coup he alleges is a project by “elders and elder brothers.”
The unnamed country is linked to the coup attempt that the Prime Minister is alleging.
“There was a coup in Ethiopia 50 years ago… now it will never succeed. Never. my advice for my elders and fathers is not to waste time. Do not crowd the guest house. Do not waste money from our friendly country, ” he said.
It has been very common for Abiy Ahmed’s government to arrest left and right – especially in the capital Addis Ababa – on alleged grounds of security threats in Addis Ababa.
The fear of coup d’état has been repeatedly making headlines in the state-owned media outlets in the country. There was a time when the Addis Ababa City Administration and the Federal government justified the blockade of travelers from the Amhara region to the capital at different times by alleging they were coming to the capital to undertake a coup d’état.
This time the Prime Minister alleged that a “friendly country” was financing the coup attempt but did not name a name. Since the U.S. government is believed to support his government, it is unlikely that he is referring to it. It is probably that he may be talking about Eritrea since his government’s relation with the country has deteriorated.
Abiy equated the alleged attempt to take over power by force to ”intoxication of lust for money.” Ethiopians are reacting to the Ethiopian Prime Minister’s claim. Many tend to think that if there was the slightest information about a group that is planning a coup, Abiy Ahmed’s government would not hesitate to make an arrest.
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