Ethiopia’s parliament has replaced Sahle-Work Zewde, the country’s first female president, with Taye Astike Selassie, the former foreign minister. Taye, sworn in on Monday, will now assume the largely ceremonial role. In Ethiopia, political power lies with the prime minister, which is currently Abiy Ahmed. Abiy, who has been prime minister since 2018, initially backed Sahle-Work’s appointment in the same year. However, the two have reportedly fallen out in recent years, with insider sources claiming Sahle-Work had been unhappy for some time. She hinted as much in a cryptic message she recently posted on X, implying her dissatisfaction with staying silent over the past year. During her tenure, which was set to end this month, Sahle-Work advocated for peace across the country. However, she faced criticism for not addressing gender-based violence during the Tigray civil war. With her exit, Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan is now Africa’s only female head of state.
SOURCE: BBC
