Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London,March 22፡2025 (Tigray Herald)
Why did Getachew’s Interim Administration fail? Who is to Blame?
By Columnist
Introduction:
Following the Tigray genocide and the subsequent war, an interim government was established based on the Pretoria Agreement was signed on 2 November 2022. However, before the establishment of the interim government, there were disputes within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) leadership.
These disputes primarily involved Dr. Debretsion, the TPLF chairman, and key negotiators in the Pretoria talks, particularly General Tsadikan and Getachew Reda.
The TPLF leadership based at home criticized the negotiators for signing the agreement without the mandate to dismantle the Tigray administration and the regional council. Led by Dr. Debretsion, the home team called for an urgent meeting with the TPLF council in December 2023 to discuss the Pretoria Agreement.
The TPLF executive committee rejected the agreement and briefly considered continuing the fight against the federal government. However, after presenting various concerns, such as a lack of ammunition, wounded soldiers, and the economic hardship caused by the siege, they ultimately accepted the agreement and decided to continue dialogue with the federal government. This was the first major disagreement between Getachew’s faction and Dr. Debretsion’s team within the TPLF.
The Dispute over the President’s Position:
After agreeing to the Pretoria Agreement, the TPLF council, including the executive committee, assigned Dr. Debretsion to continue negotiations with the federal government. In response, the federal government sent a delegation led by Ato Tagese Chafo, the Speaker of the House of the People’s Representatives, to the Tigray region.
The delegation received a warm welcome from Dr. Debretsion, who stated, “It is good to stop the bloody war. It was not necessary to involve third parties; we, as Ethiopians, should have solved this problem ourselves. Thank you, Dr. Abiy, for initiating this discussion.” Then, the discussions revolved around forming an interim government and appointing a president for Tigray.
The TPLF council appointed Dr. Debretsion as president, but the federal government rejected this choice. Instead, the TPLF executive committee nominated Dr. Fiseha Hafte-Tsion, but after facing challenges, Getachew Reda was eventually chosen as the president, receiving 18 votes. This nomination was accepted by the federal government though Dr. Debretsion’s team was angered by this decision and refused to accept it.
Challenges during Getachew’s Presidency:
During his presidency, Getachew Reda received widespread support across Tigray. Many people were seeking change, particularly due to the TPLF’s previous leadership, which had led the region into war, resulting in the loss of nearly one million lives and thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) suffering from hunger and displacement. However, despite this support, Getachew’s presidency faced numerous challenges that hindered its success.
1. Conflict Between General Tsadikan and TPLF Factions:
The TPLF leadership continued to provoke General Tsadikan, who was not seen as loyal to the TPLF’s old guard. General Tsadikan was believed to have a hidden agenda to dismantle the TPLF and replace it with the Prosperity Party (PP).
This agenda was supported by other military officers and propagated through media outlets like Dedebit, ASENA, and Zara Media. Despite having good relations with many military officers, including General Tadese, Getachew was unable to resolve these tensions. The discussions intended to resolve the situation were abruptly ended, and Getachew remained inactive until the TPLF faction’s general assembly meeting.
2. The General Assembly of the TPLF Faction:
The general assembly aimed to reduce the number of TPLF council members who were considered opponents of Dr. Debretsion’s team. Getachew and his faction were caught off guard by the outcome of the assembly. Though many people expected the formation of a new TPLF faction or a legal party, Getachew and his supporters failed to take decisive action.
Instead, they drifted without a clear strategy, and the federal government offered no support, rendering them ineffective. As a result, they became the subject of defamation, accused of corruption and defection, even though they had once held high positions within the TPLF and never accused before.
3. Involvement in Illegal Activities:
Evidence surfaced that many TPLF leaders and military officers were involved in illegal activities, such as metal theft, gold mining, and land grabbing. Despite setting up a committee to investigate these crimes, the interim government hesitated to make the findings public, as many of the accused were high-ranking military officials and politicians. The interim government lacked the independence to conduct a thorough investigation, due to lack of cooperation from the Peace and Security Bureau.
4. Challenges and Defamations:
Throughout his presidency, Getachew Reda faced several challenges, including criticism and defamation from rival factions. He struggled to implement the reforms he promised, including tackling corruption, returning IDPs, restructuring the administration, and facilitating the Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) program.
Many within the TPLF were opposed to these reforms because they threatened the influence of the old guard and the TPLF’s control over the region. Furthermore, those involved in corruption—particularly in metal theft and gold mining—fought back against the interim administration’s efforts to expose their activities.
The issue of IDPs and DDR also created tensions, as the TPLF leadership was reluctant to endorse any program that could weaken its hold over the region including restoration of territory and peace and security.
Who is to Blame?
The downfall of the interim administration cannot solely be blamed on external factors or other political actors; much of the responsibility lies with Getachew Reda and his leadership style. Although Getachew received significant popular support, he lacked the political acumen and strategic vision to confront the entrenched TPLF leadership.
Despite having the backing of youth, intellectuals, opposition parties, and legal institutions across Tigray, Getachew failed to leverage this support to challenge the TPLF old guard. His preference for avoiding conflict and his reluctance to act decisively left him vulnerable to manipulation and sabotage by rivals. Getachew’s hesitation to address corruption and reform the administration ultimately allowed the TPLF’s old guard to maintain its influence, undermining the interim administration’s ability to implement meaningful change.
Conclusion:
While Getachew Reda’s leadership was marked by good intentions and significant popular support, his failure to confront internal challenges, particularly from the TPLF’s old guard, led to the eventual downfall of the interim administration.
The lion’s share of responsibility for this failure lies with General Tadese Woreda, who played a crucial role in undermining the interim government. His animosity toward General Tsadikan, combined with his loyalty to the TPLF’s old guard, led him to align with forces that sought to destabilize the new administration.
Tadese’s unwillingness to execute agreements with the federal government, particularly regarding the return of IDPs and the implementation of DDR, further exacerbated the crisis. Ultimately, the collapse of the interim government was a result of internal divisions, a lack of decisive leadership, and the unresolved power struggles within the TPLF.
