Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Tuesday convened the Addis Ababa city administration cabinet after days of student led protests in various parts of the Ethiopian capital.
In a Social Media Post, the Office of PM Abiy said the meeting was convened to discuss a variety of issues and set a direction to be implementable in the administration’s next 100 days plan.
“As a follow up to the directions that had been set, the PM once again met with the cabinet to review the city’s 2014 Ethiopian Calendar (E.C) budget year and 2015 E.C. quarterly year performance, providing directional emphasis on expanding the good development endeavors throughout the city and addressing challenges,” the statement said.
While, PM Abiy’s office statement conveyed a message of Addis Ababa regular activities review, online many Ethiopians weren’t convinced the reason for the meeting was mundane government activity.
In recent weeks schools across Addis Ababa were scenes of student led protests for days against authorities attempts to force students to sing Oromia region anthem and have Oromia region flag hoisted inside school grounds.
An unknown number of students, teachers and opposition politicians have been arrested by security forces as part of crackdown against the protest. Scores of students and teachers have also reportedly been violently beaten by security forces.
Various groups including the prominent opposition party Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) have accused the PM Abiy’s administration of manufacturing crisis in Addis Ababa as a diversion from other crises in the country notably in various parts of Oromia region.
On Monday, an online media outlet reputed to have insider government information, Wazema Radio reported attempts to force Addis Ababa students sing Oromia region anthem and have Oromia region flag hoisted in school grounds has been suspended. Wazema Radio reported those efforts had created divisions within the ruling Prosperity party (PP) and stoked fears the government could face a greater crisis if the student led protests protests continued.
