Ethiopian parliament okays new cabinet, elects speaker

By Seleshi Tessema

ADDIS ABABA (AA) - The Ethiopian parliament on Thursday unanimously approved the cabinet assembled by the newly appointed prime minister Abiy Ahmed.

Addressing the parliament, Ahmed, 42, has said that the ministers were selected to strengthen the executive, facilitate changes and empower women.

"We shall be able to respond to the demands of the people of the country, and this is one of the motives behind the appointment and reshuffle,’’ he added.

The cabinet reshuffle has brought in 10 new faces to the 29–member cabinet, and 19 ministers maintained their positions. The new administration appointed three women.

Defense Minister Sirage Fergesa was moved to Ministry of Transport and was replaced by Motuma Mekassa, member of the Oromo community which had spearheaded the anti-government protests which triggered in 2016 the imposition of the 6-month state of emergency.

The 547-seat federal parliament which is wholly controlled by the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), a coalition of four regional parties, elected a female speaker, Muferihat Kamil, who replaces Abadula Gemeda,