Ethiopia declares state of emergency after PM's resignation Friday Feb 16,2018

Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country in the world  with 102 million inhabitants and the second-most populous nation on the African continent. 

It occupies a total area of 1,100,000 square kilometres (420,000 sq mi), and its capital and largest city is Addis Ababa

Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa  announced a state of emergency on Friday Feb 16,2018, a day after the prime minister resigned, as pressure mounted on the country's ruling coalition

The imposition of a new state of emergency may indicate that Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn's resignation on Thursday was the result of tensions among the four parties in the ruling coalition.

The coalition has been in power since 1991 and controls all 547 seats in parliament. But cracks have appeared since the outbreak of unrest, with some senior officials resigning and others being sidelined.

The two largest ethnic groups in the Horn of Africa country, the Oromo and Amharic, complain they are under-represented in the country's corridors of power.

Mulatu Gemechu, deputy secretary of the opposition Oromo Federalist Congress, said on Friday Ethiopia needed a completely new political system. The Congress is one of seven parties that make up the biggest opposition coalition, MEDREK.

"Ethiopians now need a government that respects their rights, not one that keeps beating and killing them," he told

Mulatu's views are echoed in the Oromo heartlands that surround the capital Addis Ababa. It was there that protests against an urban development plan in 2015 sparked larger demonstrations demanding more freedom and civil rights.

"Oromos should not be jailed for exercising their rights," said Dinkissa, a university student in Ambo, a town in the region.

"Oromos have been always mistreated. His (the prime minister's) resignation will not mean anything unless our rights are respected. Whoever comes to power should know that. Otherwise, we will not stop protesting."

Rights advocates have frequently criticised Ethiopia's government for mass arrests and long jail terms handed to political opponents and journalists

What does the state of emergency prevent?

• Preparing, printing or circulating any information that could cause disturbance or suspicion
• Displaying or publicising signs that could stir up violence
• Protests and any form of group assembly
• The halting of public services by anti-government protesters
• The closing of businesses by anti-government protesters

The government also retains the freedom to shut down the media and impose a public curfew, details of which have not been released.
Under the conditions of the state of emergency, any person shutting down businesses or public services will face court action.

Why was a state of emergency declared?

The government gave three key reasons:

• To ensure peace and political stability
• To respond to the resignation of the prime minister
• To facilitate a peaceful transition of power

How has life changed since the state of emergency was announced?

For most people across Ethiopia, life is continuing as before. In the capital Addis Ababa, shops are open and people are going about their business as usual.

But in some areas of Amhara state, people are defying the authorities by closing their businesses and halting transport services.

The government reportedly responded by forcing residents to reopen their shops.

Similar disobedience has occurred in Oromia where large crowds have gathered to welcome the released prisoners.

In some cases, the crowds have chanted slogans against the ruling party, but have not faced reprisals.

Why did the prime minister resign?

The governing coalition, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), is extremely secretive and it is hard to know exactly what is going on.

But since coming to power, some in the political elite have accused Mr Hailemariam of being weak and lacking in leadership.

His resignation could be a move by the governing coalition to find a stronger leader, or it could signal divisions among the constituent parties along ethnic lines.

Particularly visible is the tension between the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which has seen its dominance and influence wane, and the Oromo People's Democratic Organisation (OPDO), which is becoming increasingly assertive.

Replacing Mr Hailemariam with someone from the Oromo community might also be one way to meet the demands of Oromo protesters who have accused the authorities of marginalising them.

Ethiopia has never had an Oromo prime minister, even though they are the country's largest ethnic group.

Ethiopia's ethnic make-up

• Oromo - 34.4%
• Amhara - 27%
• Somali - 6.2%
• Tigray - 6.1%
• Others - 26.3%