In what has become one of the longest and intensely debated party meeting since the 2001 split, the Tigray People Liberation Party (TPLF) has announced today that it has suspended Azeb Mesfin, widow of the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, chairman of Endowment Fund for the Rehabilitation of Tigray (EFFORT) and member of executive committee, from all party affairs for unspecified time along with Beyene Mikru, her deputy at EFFORT, and Abay Woldu, President of the Tigray Regional State and chairman of the party, both of whom were downgraded to the central committee.
In its announcement made today on November 27, 2017 after a marathon session of criticism and self-criticism which took more than a month, the party started at the very head and removed Abay from its chairmanship role and from his position as member of the executive committee.
Apart from that TPLF also went after another political heavyweight Azeb Mesfin and handed her a temporarily suspension from all of her party roles for unspecified timeframe. Azeb’s suspension came after widespread rumors that she had walked out of the party meeting weeks ago and reportedly unhappy about the way the debate session were progressing.
Nevertheless, Azeb did not come out public with any of the unconfirmed reports until news of her suspension come out today. Meanwhile, Azeb’s deputy in EFFORT, Beyene is also the other top level leadership who got his marching order from TPLF’s executive committee and into the central committee. TPLF also stated in its announcement that it will continue its deep renewal process fulfilling the pledge both the party and the font EPRDF made to their supporters and the public at large.
